Brake (B): A transmission mode selectable on some Toyota models. In non-hybrid cars, this mode lets the engine do compression braking, also known as engine braking, typically when encountering a steep downhill. Instead of engaging the brakes, the engine in a non-hybrid car switches to a lower transmission gear and slows down the spinning tires. The engine holds the car back, instead of the brakes slowing it down. For hybrid cars, this mode converts the electric motor into a generator for the battery. It is not the same as downshifting in a non-hybrid car, but it has the same effect in slowing the car without using the brakes. GM called this HR (hill retarder) and GR (grade retarder) in the 1950s.
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