Automatic transmissions are pretty self-explanatory, and for the most part, fairly foolproof. Most of us will be familiar with the usual settings found on an automatic shifter, with P, R, N, and D ...

If you've ever glanced at your car's gear shift and noticed an "M", you might have wondered what it means. Automatic vehicles often come with various selector modes to improve the driving experience.

The automatic transmission in a typical car or truck handles multiple driving modes, like D for Drive, R for Reverse, or N for Neutral. The system also includes a parking mechanism, often marked P, ...