Auto Gearbox Lever positions- Why? I think it's the wrong way round!

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

I'm sure Dave E, will know the answer to this. I've recently changed my company car and I've got my first ever automatic gearbox. I've driven a few over my motoring years, however now regularly driving one, something seems strange:

 

Why do I have to push the gear selector forwards for reverse and pull backwards for drive?

 

When maneuvering my brain finds this unnatural. The selector isn't mechanical on many auto boxes these days, but I suspect there will be a mechanical reason why this is the adopted layout of P - R - N  - D (top to bottom) rather than my preferred choice of ( P - D - N - R).

 

 

 

 

[Nemesis]

The layout I reckon must be because of the Americans..... they never reverse into a parking spot..... so.... they start the engine, select reverse to exit the parking spot then pull through neutral to drive and away you go..... 

 

At least that's my theory.... and we have them to blame for having to put your foot on the brake when starting the engine.

 

Nem......

[Kit Car Electronics]

It also makes it easy to find P and D when drunk...

[SootySport]

If you had bought the pensioners choice, an auto Ford Fusion, the gear positions would be more to your liking and you have the sequential option as well.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I'm not sure there is an absolute reason, other than convention. There are plenty of theories though, also don't forget that for a long time the gate wasn't as simple as that, it would typically have been:

 

P R N D D1 D2

 

My favourite theory, and yes there is some "American" design consideration in it! - Park is where it is for two reasons, one, it's nearest the dash, so in park, the lever is as out of the way as it can be, thus allowing those with a bench front seat, but no column shift, an easier time sliding across. Reason two, is that you have to push forward in to it, so if you were driving with your hand resting on the gear lever, any hard acceleration would be less likely to have you accidentally pull the car into park, the way it might if it was arranged between you and the drive position. (I know, I know, for years most gear levers have had a release button to avoid accidental shifts, but the argument is, it had already become convention by then!!!)

 

Reverse and Drive, best kept furthest apart, so neutral is put between them, we're already nearly at the current arrangement! Throw in the positions that used to manually select gears, (back before we had +/- or so many gears that having individual positions was unworkable), and it made sense to have the commonly used D, D1, D2 etc closest to the driver where they were most easily reached and selected.

 

Why D, D1, D2 increasing as they come back towards you? Partly because many feel it most natural to pull back to go faster, and partly the acceleration thing again; pulling back while feeling yourself pushed back by acceleration is just easier! And forwards to shift down, while pushed forwards by braking, again, just easier...

 

The other pet theory I've heard is that it comes from the days when the gear levers were on the column, arranged clockwise, which was logical. And then, the same order simply got transposed to the floor mount position!

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

I knew I could rely on Dave for a comprehensive answer. Thanks to the others as well. I'm not surprised that we can blame those over the pound who need instructions in recreational vehicles to advise that it's not a good idea to leave the driving seat to go to the kitchen to make a coffee whilst driving with cruise control enabled..................

 

I guess I'll just have to dumb down, and stop thinking about it....I'm due to keep it for 4 years/100,000 miles. Plenty of time to adjust.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

 

 

I don't mind mind a lot of the American "auto-isms", in fact I actually would prefer their habit of labelling switches with what they do, in plain English, rather than some weird pan language hieroglyph, the way European cars do.

 

Though if ever the "caution, objects in the rear view mirror...." Message ever makes it over here on to our mirrors, I may just loose the will to live.... 

 

Sorry, can't resist leaving a thread like this without reposting this clip...

 

[Rusty Nuts]

Drove a Merc A class auto lever on steering column push up for reverse middle is neutral down is drive and push small button on lever for park, really good for my simple brain.

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Dave, how did you get a recording of my conversation with BMW's Customer Care Team?

[Lawrie]

I blame the Yanks too.

 

And you pull back aircraft throttle levers to make it go.