Experimental clutches have already been made that use electromagnets and visco-magnetic fluid like that used in the suspension of some luxury cars.
In this idea, there are two plates, similar to the flywheel and pressure plate in a conventional clutch, except that they have many permanent magnets arranged on them radially.
When the clutch pedal is fully depressed, the arrangement acts like torque converter, with the movement of the flywheel inducing movement in the pressure plate through magnetic induction.
As the clutch pedal is released, the plates come together and the induction becomes stronger until their speed is more closely matched and the plates stick, locking the whole thing together.-- discontinuuity, Jun 20 2005 magnetic auto? magnetic_20auto_3fI think someone had the idea before me (allthough a little less lucid). [discontinuuity, Jun 20 2005] Baked... and even used as gear too http://www.magnomat...y/Magnetic-CVT.aspxMagnomatics CVT magnetic gear [pashute, Mar 01 2011] //the arraingement acts like torque converter//It wouldn't, because there would be no torque-multiplying effect. If you're lucky it might act like a fluid flywheel.-- angel, Jun 21 2005 Baked. Nissan have used this for years on their CVT-equipped models.-- david_scothern, Jun 21 2005 random, halfbakery