The 2004 season also saw a change in technical regulations, including the banning of two electronic driver aid systems, namely fully-automatic gearboxes and launch control, both of which had been used for the past three seasons, marking the first time since the beginning of (pre-Spanish Grand Prix) that cars competed without using these systems. However, the use of traction control was still permitted by the FIA, and continued to be allowed for use over the next three seasons, until it was officially banned for the 2008 season.