Method and system for controlling an automatic transmission using a GPS assist having a learn mode

A system for controlling an automatic transmission comprising:

• a global positioning satellite (GPS) subsystem for obtaining positioning data using a GPS satellite;
• and
• a transmission subsystem coupled to the transmission and the GPS subsystem for monitoring the automatic transmission to obtain transmission data, for automatically learning whether performance of the automatic transmission can be improved utilizing the positioning data and the transmission data and for automatically adjusting a shift threshold for the automatic transmission for the positioning data if the transmission subsystem determines that the performance of the automatic transmission can be improved;
• wherein the automatic transmission subsystem determines automatically that the performance of the automatic transmission can be improved when a predetermined load on the automatic transmission system increases by a particular amount within a particular time,
• wherein the automatic transmission subsystem automatically adjusts a shift threshold if the learning determines that the performance of the automatic transmission can be improved and if the positioning data can be obtained using the GPS, and the automatic transmission automatically substation sets the shift threshold to a preset shift threshold if the positioning data cannot be obtained using the GPS.