Here’s The Problem With The Gear Selector That Might Have Led To Anton Yelchin's Death
It’s been previously stated by the NHTSA that this electronic shifter - manufactured by German firm ZF - is responsible for hundreds of crashes. As explained and demonstrated by The Fast Lane Car in the video above, the problem stems from the fact that the shifter returns to the centre position after every selection. Unlike many automatic gearbox selectors, it doesn’t have a park button either.
A rollaway incident involving a Jeep Grand Cherokee fitted with one of the problematic shifters claimed the life of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin, after he was pinned between the unsecured vehicle and a pillar on his driveway. Cars with the shifter were actually recalled by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) back in April to have new software installed that applies the parking brake if the car’s still in neutral when the door is opened. It’s currently unknown if Yelchin’s car had been given the new software, although given the nature of the tragic accident, we’d assume not.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
why dont you just apply the handbrake like normal people
no one does that if its automatic
The GETRAG of automatic transmissions
But aren’t a few Mercedes-AMG shifters like this? Am I missing something?
Mercs put the handbrake on when the door is opened.
Nice try Jeep
That actually seems like a threat now.
YOUR STORY IS CALLING.
IT IS TIME.
Manual: 1
Automatic: 0
Really?! I always use it, in fact i even leave it in gear too
How is this even a problem? One down = drive, one up= reverse. If you cant get a car into park before stepping out, its you who has a problem
I have to valet these all the time and they annoy me
Did you know? Drinking battery acid might be deadly as well! Seriously, who is that stupid? It indicates the gear on the shifter and in the cockpit. Or just use the handbrake for fudges sake…..
So its a problem because people arent used to it ?
Go and take a look into all the new audis..
All of them have this kind a shifter.
I feel sorry for people who got hurt , or even died.
But well as others here already commented.. just dont be stupid and check what you´re doing and in that the car is in “P” position before you get out ! Or just use those stupid “button brakes” (ex Handbrake)
I have to drive lots of different kind a cars at work all day. Manuals , Automatics. I always check whats going on .. before I even start driving it.
Ofcurse . at very first , the first time I had one of these new shifters in an Audi A7 , I was confused .. (what the heck is that?) But it took not more than 5 minutes to find out how it works. Although its Beeping and beeping all the time. no matter what you do ^^ (car not in P , car in N , leaving Ignition on when getting out everything)