Abstract: A robot for operating at least a gear shift lever of a motor vehicle includes a base adapted to be mounted in a substantially fixed position in the vehicle and a shift member is movably supported relative to the base and adapted to engage the gear shift lever. An actuating element moves the shift member and a programmable control unit controls the operation of the actuating element. Load cells measure the forces exerted between the shift member and the gear shift lever and provide corresponding output signals representing the forces. The programmable control unit uses the output signals representing the force measurement in the course of causing the operation of the actuating element.