Most new transmissions, regardless of type of knob, lever or push-button are electrically shifted via solenoids under the control of one or more computers. The programming will not allow certain modes unless particular speed conditions are met, regardless where you put the lever.
Unless you truly have a fully mechanically controlled transmission. I recently discovered this by looking at some 1994 Jaguar control schemes.
On my 1999 Suburban the shifting of the tranny (4L80E) is computer controlled.
Come to think of it, when I took off the transmission oil pan of my 95 minivan to change the fluid filter, I saw a lot of wires routed inside. OMG! Is there a chance I might suffer a hair raising accident and to get insult added to my injury by people saying I am an idiot, whether or not I survive such an ordeal?
Thanks goodness, both of my old cars have conventional ignition switches which really cut off the power to "HAL"
, and not another "user input device" to the allmighty all-knowing computer. They also have conventional accelerator pedals that are mechanically linked to the throttle butterfly air valve. And their floor mats got built-in hooks.
NW-Bound - that is the gear selector on a Prius...fully electronic. When you change directions, you just point the joystick forward or back and it automatically pops back to the central position.
R
I have posted here that I might consider a hybrid car as my next vehicle. However, until I am ready, I have not visited any dealer nor driven one. I guess I will wait a while until the dust settles.
I don't know about Toyotas, but on my Escape hybrid you can put it into reverse at any speed and it will not engage until you stop, as it is computer over ridden. It would be logical to me to have this function in other electronically operated transmissions to prevent accidents or damage to the transmission.
Given that the throttle, anti lock brakes, stability control, electronic shift transmission, traction control and air bags are all operated by a computer it seems inevitable that you will get some occasional wild interactions.
Anyone here run Windows?
No, it's all the idiotic user's fault who does not hold his mouth the right way as he clicks the mouse button.
Have no fear! I wonder if some of the desktop programmers have migrated to other industries, including automotive manufacturers. I recall an incidence in the US Navy, where an operator entered in a wrong input, causing a "divide-by-zero" overflow, which resulted in the ship being immobilized until they could fix the problem, because the same computer ran the propulsion system.
An experiment in the late 90s by the US Army to equip the foot soldiers with portable digital electronic gears resulted in this conclusion by a reviewer that I read in an electronic trade magazine.
"Ready... Aim... Reboot!"
