Vehicle squat.. what the hell is this?

[m4rkw]

Reading a repair manual for the U140E / U241E transmissions, I noticed this:

“N” to “D” Squat Control 

When the shift lever is shifted from “N” to “D” position, the gear is temporarily shifted to 2nd or O/D and then to 1st to reduce vehicle squat.
When the shift lever is shifted from “N” to “D” position, the gear is temporarily shifted to 3rd and then to 1st to reduce vehicle squat.

 

Wat? Does this make sense to anyone? I'm guessing "squat" is the back end of the car squatting down but.. how the hell does the gear its in affect that when the car isn't moving?

[ColinBarber]

When you shift into gear with your foot on the brakes the car will squat or rise due to the suspension becoming loaded with the torque from the engine/transmission/driveshafts as the wheels cannot move. Due to the gearing the effect is less in a higher gear - the two stages makes it less noticeable to the driver/passengers than a single big squat/fall.