PURPOSE: To enable the accurate gear position control such as the optimal setting of a gear position of an automatic engine brake, corresponding to the travelling term by deciding the gear position to be changed on the basis of the current gear position, the speed and the deceleration.

CONSTITUTION: During the braking, when a condition which needs the applying of engine brake is occurred, an automatic engine brake means makes an automatic transmission to shift down in the a low speed so as to brake effectively. At this stage, a gear position command means decides the gear position to be changed on the basis of the current gear position of the automatic transmission detected by a gear position detecting means, the speed, and the deceleration of a vehicle detected from the speed by a deceleration detecting means, and orders the automatic engine brake means to actuate the engine brake of the decided gear position. The accurate control such as the optimal setting of the gear position of the automatic engine brake is thus performed, and the vehicle characteristic such as the fuel consumption can be improved without giving a feeling of physical disorder to a driver.