What do those letters on an automatic transmission car mean?

[Mia]

Automatic transmission cars have letters such as P, R, N, D, S, L, and M. P stands for Park, R for Reverse, N for Neutral, D for Drive, S for Sport mode, L for Low gear, and M for Manual mode. Below is an introduction to automatic transmissions: Classification: An automatic transmission does not require the driver to manually shift gears; the vehicle automatically selects the appropriate gear based on speed and traffic conditions. Typically, an automatic transmission car has six gear positions, arranged from top to bottom as P, R, N, D, S, and L. Operation: Driving an automatic transmission car primarily involves using Park (P), Reverse (R), Neutral (N), and Drive (D) gears, which are sufficient for normal driving needs. However, in certain special driving conditions, other functional gears may be required.

[DeMaya]

I remember when I first started learning to drive an automatic car, the letters P, R, N, D on the gear lever really confused me. Later, my friend patiently taught me: P stands for Parking, which is used when parking to lock the wheels and prevent rolling; R is Reverse gear, used for backing into parking spaces or moving backward; N is Neutral, where the engine is disconnected from the wheels, occasionally used at red lights or for brief stops, but not for long-term parking; D is Drive, the forward gear that handles all automatic shifting while driving. My car also has an S mode for Sport, which provides faster acceleration, ideal for highways or overtaking, though it consumes more fuel; L stands for Low gear, great for climbing steep hills or descending. Beginners often make mistakes, like accidentally shifting to R or P while moving forward, which can damage the car, or forgetting to engage the handbrake when parking. Safety first—always press the brake, shift to P, and engage the handbrake before turning off the engine. Over time, driving an automatic becomes simple once you understand what the letters mean. I recommend reading the manual more and practicing parking maneuvers.