Automatic gearboxes had evolved along time. Yes, old ones had power loss on the torque convertor (the hidraulic one still have), but the new hidraulic have electronic gear change (so much better on this side) and there are some non-hdyraulic automatic gearboxes.
Anyway, it's a matter of choose. I've seen some really stupid arguments on youtube about manual versus automatic (on Romanian vlogs - most people around here don't even know that the are some other models of geraboxes). So no need for aruging.
In Romanian automatic hydraulic gearboxes (cutii de viteze automate hidraulice) are somtimes called "hidramate" (hidramată is the singular) probably beucase of "Hydromanic"... but sometimes is a general term for all automic geraboxes.
"Tucker" had made some nice cars, very advanced, but the saftey and modernity had to wait in the U.S.A. In Europe we where making advances in the '50's... "Mercedes" Ponton had crumple zones.
But why they didn't tried to improve the system, in order to make it relaible?
Probably "Wilson" system needed to much maintinance. When British quit it still not all of theyr cars full syncromesch gearboxes. They could improve the system, but they didn't (otherwise, if you didn't confused the gearchange pedal with the clutch pedal and do thing like starting to drive the car in 3rd gear + lack of meintenance, the Wilson preselector was harder to damage then a manual gerabox by unexperienced drivers).
Another things that they didn't improved was the automatic clutch. There where 2 types of automatic clutch: converter (Saxomat/Olymat) and vakumatic (I think the 1st had aslo vacum). The British had one like vakumatic, but I forgot it's name. Not relaible, but they could be improved. I don't why they where so dumb and they didn't try to make a better system if the other methodes failed. For some drivers it would have had been more easy for not having to press the clutch pedal. O.k., I hate the dern clutch!
Oh, "Panhard et Levassor" Dynamic had automat clutch up to 1939. And unlike the other automated clucthc, you could switch to manual clutch if you wanted to. Freedom to choose.
http://doyennes-panhard-levassor.fr/...car-p26-27.jpg (whole article:
http://doyennes-panhard-levassor.fr/en/last-news/ )
In Romania we used buses (both new and second-hand) with vacuum operated shitfts.