Transmission for use in power trains of motor vehicles

A transmission for use in a power train of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a gear assembly shiftable into and between a plurality of gears including reverse, neutral and forward gears;
• and
• means for shifting said assembly to and between said gears, including:
• a gate defining first and second gear selecting paths,
• a gear selector movable along said first path to a plurality of positions including first, second and third positions in which said assembly is respectively in said reverse, neutral and forward gears, said selector being movable between said third position and said second path and manually along said second path,
• a signal receiving, processing and transmitting control unit,
• at least one actuator responsive to processed signals transmitted by said control unit and arranged to move said means for shifting to one of said plurality of gears as a function of signals transmitted by said control unit,
• at least one first sensor arranged to monitor the positions of said selector in said paths and to transmit signals to said control unit, and
• at least one additional sensor arranged to monitor the presence or absence of said selector in said first position and to transmit signals to said control unit, so as to provide a backup sensor in case of malfunction of said at least one first sensor.

A transmission for use in a power train of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a gear assembly shiftable into and between a plurality of gears including reverse, neutral and forward gears;
• and
• means for shifting said assembly to and between said gears, including:
• a gate defining first and second gear selecting paths,
• a gear selector movable along said first path to a plurality of positions including first, second and third positions in which said assembly is respectively in said reverse, neutral and forward gears, said selector being movable between said third position and said second path and manually along said second path,
• a signal receiving, processing and transmitting control unit,
• at least one actuator responsive to processed signals transmitted by said control unit and arranged to move said means for shifting to one of said plurality of gears as a function of signals transmitted by said control unit,
• at least one first sensor arranged to monitor the positions of said selector in said paths and to transmit signals to said control unit,
• at least one additional sensor arranged to monitor the presence or absence of said selector in a predetermined one of said first, second, and third positions and to transmit signals to said control unit, and
• a further sensor arranged to monitor the presence or absence of said selector in one of said selected positions in said second path and to transmit signs to said control unit, wherein said at least one additional sensor and said further sensor provide backup sensors in case of malfunction of said at least one first sensor.