If you have it in the manual side on the AT7 it WILL NOT shift by itself. It will allow you take the car to the redline and that is it. It will bounce off the redline but it will not shift.
I remember doing this when I had my AT7 and was passing someone and forgot I was in the manual side.....
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The paddle shifters are really for the "manual" side of the AT7. Yeah you can use them in the auto side but I'm sure they are meant for that. It does take some getting use to in the manual side because you would assume that clicking it down would shift it up but it's the opposite. The down is down and the up is up.....gets a little interesting when you have above stock hp with the shifting.
Try it and drive it. I always had it in the manual side....seemed more fun.