What does DS mean in an automatic transmission car?
2 Answers
DS in an automatic transmission car refers to the switching between D gear and S gear. D gear is the drive gear, where the transmission automatically shifts up or down within the engine's speed range when the gear lever is moved into D gear. The shift point depends on engine load, the driver's driving style, and vehicle speed. S gear is the sport mode of D gear, providing strong power output. In sport mode, the transmission can shift freely, with delayed shifting to keep the engine at high RPM, thereby increasing the vehicle's power. The gears in an automatic transmission car include: P gear, R gear, N gear, D gear, S gear, and L gear. Automatic transmissions use planetary gear mechanisms to shift automatically based on the degree of throttle pedal input and changes in vehicle speed.
When I drove my friend's Audi with the S mode before, I did some research. The D mode is for normal driving, where the transmission decides when to shift gears on its own. Once you engage the S mode, the car's character completely changes: the throttle becomes extremely sensitive, the RPM soars to 4000 before shifting, and the acceleration push immediately kicks in. It's a game-changer for climbing hills or overtaking, but the fuel consumption also noticeably increases—you can literally see the fuel gauge dropping in city driving. Remember to switch back to D mode after use, otherwise, the engine constantly roaring will make you feel bad for it.
