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
I have a grand Cherokee SRT , to put it in park from drive you have to hold it forward for a certain amount of time, if you don’t hold long enough it goes to neutral. Going from reverse to drive you must hold the same amount of time or it goes to neutral. Neutral is its go to gear and has caught me out a few times but only going from reverse to drive so far
my swamp
Should never NEVER have to use the eyes to find out what gear a car is in…anything else is just stupid.
America get your s**t together.
Why isnt anyone using the handbrake?
Is not that difficult to operate. Are this people so lazy that they cannot read the manual?
Remove the warning labels and let natural selection work his ways…
Two words…natural selection.
So then why hasn’t Audi recalled the A8 shifters?
Oh common it’s not the fault of the transmission, ok it’s maybe not the best solution but for gods sake that thing has a parking brake also , so it’s another proof of how lazy Americans can be and proof of natural selection
This is why electronic aids need to stop. We are not dogs for christ sake.