What does M/S mean?
2 Answers
In automobiles, M/S refers to the manual mode and sport mode gear positions in automatic transmission models. Currently, car brands that feature both M/S modes simultaneously include BMW's gear lever (commonly known as the "chicken stick") and some Japanese Toyota off-road models. Below are introductions to manual mode and sport mode: Manual Mode: Manual mode, indicated by "+/-", allows shifting into manual mode when placed in this position, enabling manual gear changes using the +/- function. Sport Mode: Sport mode automatically adjusts engine speed and corresponding shift timing, delaying upshifts or advancing downshifts to maintain higher engine speeds. This provides a more noticeable acceleration feel but inevitably results in higher fuel consumption.
I remember when I first read a car performance test report, it had some numbers with the suffix m/s, and at first I didn't quite understand. Later, after checking some information, I learned that m/s stands for meters per second, used to indicate speed or velocity. For example, when I'm driving at 60 kilometers per hour, converting it to m/s is approximately 16.7 meters per second, because 1 kilometer equals 1000 meters, and 1 hour equals 3600 seconds—just divide and you'll roughly get the idea. This unit is quite common in the automotive industry, such as when measuring braking distance or changes in acceleration. Using m/s allows for a more precise description of motion states. Mastering unit conversions is quite helpful for safe driving, as it helps avoid risks caused by driving too fast. Occasionally, you might also come across it when looking at GPS navigation or high-speed camera data.
