A control system controls an automatic transmission so that it holds a higher gear for a certain period and then shifts into a specific lower gear suitable for starting a vehicle when the automatic transmission is changed into a forward drive range from a non-forward drive range. When an on-shift input speed, detected at a shift of the automatic transmission into a forward drive range, is higher than a predetermined critical speed (TR1), the control system forces the automatic transmission to hold the high gear as long as the transmission input speed increases while the automatic transmission is in the forward range. The control system further forcibly shifts the automatic transmission into the specific gear when an input speed is higher than a predetermined limit speed.