You use your vehicle’s engine to control speed mainly through engine braking : coming off the accelerator and, when needed, selecting a lower gear so the engine’s resistance helps slow the car rather than relying only on the footbrake.

Key idea: engine braking

  • When you lift off the accelerator, the throttle closes, fuel flow drops, and the rotating engine resists the motion of the wheels, gently slowing the vehicle.
  • Selecting a lower gear increases engine RPM and that resistance, so the car slows more firmly without heavy brake use.

Practical steps (manual & automatic)

  • In a manual:
    • Ease off the accelerator well before you need to slow.
    • Downshift one gear at a time (for example, 5th → 4th → 3rd) while matching road speed so the car doesn’t lurch.
* Combine light engine braking with gentle footbrake for smooth, controlled deceleration.
  • In an automatic:
    • Come off the accelerator early and let the transmission hold the current gear briefly, which already gives some engine braking.
* For steeper hills or stronger control, select “L”, “2”, or use paddle shifters/manual mode to hold a lower gear, adding resistance from the engine.

When this is most useful

  • Going downhill, so you do not pick up too much speed or overheat your brakes on long descents.
  • In stop‑and‑go traffic or when approaching junctions, to slow progressively instead of braking late and hard.

Safety tips and mistakes to avoid

  • Shift down progressively; dropping several gears at once can cause sudden engine revs and a jolt that unsettles the car.
  • Do not rely on engine braking alone in emergencies; always use the footbrake firmly if you must stop quickly.
  • Be gentle in very slippery conditions, because abrupt downshifts can still cause a loss of traction even though the engine is slowing the wheels rather than the brake pads.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.