Cotal transmission

 Featuring a cute little gearshift mechanism, the French-designed Cotal transmission consisted of a epicyclic gear system activated by electromagnetic clutches. Maybe it could be better described as a semi-automatic system, as there was still a foot operated clutch. 
 During the 1930s, they were offered as an expensive option for expensive cars, Delage, Delahaye, Salmson, Bugatti among them.  As far as I can tell, North American manufacturers never used the system. A big part of the attraction must have been the avoiding of dealing with the non synchro gear change.  
Post-war, they could be had on some Peugeot, (French) Ford SFA, and Citroën Traction models but they were also used on trucks, buses and even railcars.

More here, Youtube

thanks, JP!