Kia's new shift-by-wire manual lets you change gears in a hybrid
The company's Intelligent Manual Transmission (IMT) is targeted at European buyers who won't tolerate automatics
In my opinion, this is a gimmick.
What Kia has done is design an automated manual gearbox, a manual transmission with an automatic, electronically-controlled clutch for its manual transmission. This is nothing new. There are many examples of manual transmissions with automated clutches.
There is Toyota's Multimode Manual Transmission available in compact and subcompact cars in Europe; there is the 6-speed single-clutch transmission in the Lexus LFA; and there are numerous examples of dual-clutch transmissions.
None of them have -- because there is no need for -- a clutch pedal. Adding an unneeded clutch pedal needlessly complicates things. Kia has to add a third pedal at the firewall with all the related mechanical and electrical bits and pieces. It also has to program in artificial force feedback to make the fake clutch pedal feel like a real clutch pedal. I doubt that it is just an extra pedal with a simple spring return action; there has probably been some feedback designed in to give the feel of the clutch engaging and disengaging.
All of these extra, unneeded parts just complicates things and makes the car more expensive than other cars with automated manual transmissions.