Electronic-hydraulic control device of an automatic automobile transmission in which all of the solenoid valves (12) and pressure control valves (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) are de-energized when the electronic control device fails and in which a lower gear, preferably third gear, is automatically selected when a lower gear has been previously engaged, and a higher gear, preferably fifth gear, is selected when a higher gear has been engaged previously. The control valves (20, 21, 23) have surfaces of different dimensions that can be controlled jointly or individually to permit a variety of valve characteristic curves.