Method for controlling an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle

The method involves controlling gear engagement/disengagement in emergency mode without automatic or manual clutch actuation. Gear engagement/disengagement in emergency mode is controlled with a controller that disengages a gear when the gearbox output shaft torque is essentially null, matches the engine shaft or gearbox input shaft speed to the current speed of the next gear to be engaged, then engages that gear. The method involves controlling the engagement/disengagement of gears in emergency operating mode, that is with a defective clutch (2), without automatic or manual clutch actuation. Engagement/disengagement of gears in emergency mode is controlled with a controller (3) that disengages a gear when the gearbox output shaft torque is essentially null, then matches the engine shaft (4) or gearbox input shaft (5) speed to the current speed of the next gear to be engaged and then engages that gear.