automatic drive
- noun
- /ˈɔːtəmætɪk draɪv/
- Specialized
:
conducción automática
- The car smoothly transitioned to automatic drive and navigated the highway without any input from the driver.
Examples
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Consumers want cars with reliable automatic drive that can handle urban streets and parking.
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During the test, the vehicle engaged automatic drive and maintained speed without driver input.
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Regulators require detailed safety data whenever an automatic drive system is tested on public roads.
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The new Tesla features an advanced automatic drive system.
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Can you activate the automatic drive mode?
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With the latest technology, this model offers a state-of-the-art automatic drive that simplifies long journeys.
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Many drivers appreciate the convenience of automatic drive, especially in heavy traffic situations.
How Autonomous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'automatic' (functioning with little human input) modifies 'drive' (the act or system of driving), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to driving that operates automatically. This adjective-noun pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows standard English composition, so the sense is immediately accessible rather than idiomatic.
Etymology
The noun automatic drive comes from the parts automatic, meaning 'works by itself', and drive, meaning 'to move the car'. Think of sitting back while the car's computer watches the road and steers for you, which is why it means a setting where the car moves with little or no human control.