What does DS in automatic transmission mean?
2 Answers
Automatic transmission DS means: D is the drive gear; S is the sport mode gear. Other gear positions in automatic transmission are explained as follows: 1. P gear is the parking gear, used for long-term parking of the vehicle; 2. R gear is the reverse gear, engaged when the vehicle needs to move backward; 3. N gear is the neutral gear, engaged when the vehicle is parked for a short time without turning off the engine; 4. M gear refers to the manual mode, where gear shifting is done manually by the driver when the gear lever is moved to M. The method for reversing an automatic transmission vehicle: 1. Press the brake to stop the vehicle, hold the lock switch on the gear lever, and shift to R gear; 2. Check the rearview mirrors and the reversing camera to confirm there are no obstacles behind the vehicle, and also honk the horn twice to alert pedestrians and vehicles nearby; 3. Slowly release the brake to allow the vehicle to move at a low speed.
When driving an automatic car, I often use the DS gear, which stands for Drive Sport or Driving Sport mode. Simply put, in an automatic transmission, you shift from the regular D gear to the DS position to manually control gear shifts without needing to press a clutch like in a manual transmission. I personally switch to it often when overtaking on highways or climbing steep hills—for example, pressing the accelerator gives noticeably faster acceleration, making the car feel more powerful. The operation is straightforward: move the gear lever to the DS mark, then push forward or backward to downshift or upshift. However, note that driving this way may increase fuel consumption, so using D gear in the city is more fuel-efficient. It adds more fun to driving, but don’t misuse it—especially beginners should try it first on safe roads. Overall, the DS gear is a great design for enhancing the driving experience.
