Driving Tips Our guide to changing from a manual car to an automatic ... An automatic gear mode in a car automatically shifts gears for you, with common selections like P (Park), R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive for normal forward driving), S (Sport for better acceleration/performance), and L or numbers (Low/1/2 for steep hills/towing). These modes optimize driving for different situations, from city commutes (D) to challenging terrain (L/S), making driving easier by managing gear changes with