The ASG is an automated manual transmission that combines excellent fuel economy with driving ease.
Just like with a conventional automatic transmission, gears can be changed automatically by switching the gear lever to the drive (D) position, but it’s also possible to change gears manually by moving the gear to the “+”or “-“ positions.
When the drive position is selected, the gear change timings will depend on driving style and acceleration speed. Because the ASG is a single-clutch gearbox (just like a manual gearbox), torque to the driving wheels must be interrupted during a gear change. This is most noticeable during maximum acceleration: a lighter throttle load produces a smoother shift.
Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk