Do You Need to Press the Brake to Start a Car?
1 Answers
Starting a car requires pressing the brake for automatic transmission vehicles. However, pressing the brake is not necessary when starting the engine, depending on the gear position: unless the car is in Neutral (N) gear and the handbrake is not engaged. For safety reasons, automatic transmission cars are generally designed to start the engine only in Park (P) or Neutral (N) gear, making brake pedal pressure optional. If the vehicle is in Reverse (R) or Drive (D) gear, it cannot be started because engaging these gears transfers engine power to the wheels, causing the car to move upon ignition. Control System: Therefore, as a precaution, automatic transmission vehicles are equipped with a control system that prevents starting in Reverse (R) or Drive (D) gears. The engine can only be started when the gear is in Park (P) or Neutral (N).