Abstract: Provided is an automobile operation apparatus and method designed for detecting failure of a drive gear selector of an automatic transmission having a normal mode constituted by P, R, N and D gears, and a sport mode. The automobile operation apparatus includes up/down switches for shifting a gear of the automatic transmission up or down when a gearshift lever is shifted from the normal mode to the sport mode, a detection means for detecting whether the gearshift lever is shifted to the sport mode, and a control means for controlling a D gear operation at the up/down switches when the D gear is abnormal and the detection means detects a mode change. Therefore, an automobile can be driven, even when a D gear for forward driving malfunctions, by a virtual drive mode switch that is equivalent to the D gear in an emergency.

Abstract: Provided is an automobile operation apparatus and method designed for failure of a drive gear of an automatic transmission that enable an automobile to be driven by moving only a gearshift lever when a D gear for forward driving malfunctions. The automobile operation apparatus is designed for failure of a drive gear of an automatic transmission having a normal mode constituted by P, R, N and D gears, and a sport mode. The automobile operation apparatus includes up/down switches for shifting a gear of the automatic transmission up or down when a gearshift lever is shifted from the normal mode to the sport mode, a detection means for detecting whether the gearshift lever is shifted to the sport mode, and a control means for controlling a D gear operation at the up/down switches when the D gear is abnormal and the detection means detects a mode change.