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Currently, Ford and GM are behind in the transmission speed race. Several other automakers such as Chrysler and Land Rover have nine-speed coming out soon. Many automakers already have eight-speed transmissions on the road. Both GM and Ford said the joint research would help them develop the transmissions faster. All three Detroit automakers had to cut transmission development when they ran into financial problems back in 2008, said Kevin Riddell, an engine and transmission analyst with LMC Automotive, a Detroit-area forecasting firm. "The joint development is really going to help them out and get back onto an even playing field," he said. This isn't unchartered territory for the two Detroit automakers. They began working on six-speed gearboxes in 2002. So far the companies have produced 8 million jointly-developed transmissions. It's not unusual for automakers to work together on big ticket items such as engines or hybrid gas-electric powertrains, but working together on transmissions is less common, Petrovski said. The companies don't expect any anti-trust issues to arise even though together they control one-third of the U.S. auto market. Lawyers reviewed the 2002 agreement and the federal government didn't raise any issues with it. A Justice Department spokeswoman wouldn't comment on the new deal.
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