Until a few years ago, an automatic transmission was an accessory in Europe. "For lazy people" the opponents shouted. In the United States, on the other hand, a manual gearbox was an accessory and, like in Europe, an additional fee was required for the automatic gearbox.
The times have changed, if you are well aware of yourself, you are now buying a new car with a self-shifting gearbox. Chrysler already delivered its cars in 1955 with a so-called PowerFlyte machine. Two gears with a handle that went through the dashboard to the inside of the car. In 1956 they changed that with - mechanical! - push buttons. Packard also delivered something like that in 1956, but then operated electrically.