Shifting apparatus for an automatic transmission that is adapted to provide installation flexibility where space is limited within a motor vehicle

A shifting apparatus for use with an automatic transmission, the transmission being situated within a closely confined area within a vehicle and being of the type that includes a housing and a shift position select lever to selectively shift the transmission from a present transmission shift position to one of a plurality of desired transmission shift positions, said apparatus comprising:

• a. an operator input means mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle that in response to actuation by the vehicle operator is arranged to generate an operator signal representative of said desired transmission shift position;
• b. a motor drive assembly mounted within the vehicle at a location remote from the closely confined area and not mounted on the transmission housing, said motor drive assembly being operatively connected to a flexible cable, said flexible cable extending from said remote location and engaging the shift position select lever of the automatic transmission to impart rotational movement thereon;
• and,
• c. a processor means including a comparator means for determining said present transmission shift position and being operative in response to receipt of said operator signal representative of a desired transmission shift position differing from said present transmission shift position to energize said motor drive assembly to induce rotational movement of the shift position select lever to a position corresponding to said desired transmission shift position.