Unfortunately, like this vehicle launch issue, many other intricate aspects of powertrain control and design examined and published in the surveyed works must be omitted here due to space limitations. This survey focuses on the basic shift control strategies applied once the vehicle is already launched and operating in forward driving conditions. For each surveyed design, a brief description and some implications of the chosen hardware configuration is provided. And the shift control strategy is examined relative to the implemented design solution. Section 2 establishes the fundamental relationship that governs the dynamics of ratio shifts, engine operations, and output responses. Section 3 contains the survey of powertrain designs organized by their apparent shift strategy philosophies. Section 4 concludes the observations.