a method for adapting an operating mode of an automatic variable speed transmission for a vehicle having an engine , whose torque is transferred from a clutch to an automatic variable speed transmission , where the target rotational speed of the variable speed transmission and a corresponding gear is selected in such a way depending upon a vehicle acceleration and an available engine power that no further change of the gear is required for a predeterminable time period when the vehicle acceleration remains the same after the selected gear has been applied .