contrast if the manual shift lever has not been actuated in the upshift direction then in step s 15 it is checked whether the current travel speed v f has reached or fallen below the lower reference speed v ref 1 if so then in steps s 23 and s 24 starting takes place in the lowest starting gear g a min then engaged but if the speed has not yet reached or fallen below the lower reference speed v ref 1 the system branches back to step s 14 this means that if the negative acceleration is sufficiently large a f lt a ref 1 on reaching or falling below the lower reference speed v ref 1 starting takes place in the lowest starting gear g a min provided that the manual shift lever has not previously been actuated in the upshift direction which would bring about immediate starting in the optimum starting gear g a opt if neither of the conditions of steps s 6 and s 11 are fulfilled i e if the acceleration a f is close to zero then in step s 16 the clutch is disengaged and in step s 17 an intermediate starting gear g a mit appropriate for an average coasting speed is engaged then in step s 18 it is checked whether the manual shift lever has been actuated in the upshift direction x sh 1 if so then in steps s 20 to s 22 the starting.