This Master Thesis presents the study and evaluation of a position detection mechanism based on infrared (IR) proximity sensors, applied to a gear selector lever in a high-end vehicle. Starting from an overview of the growing role of electronics in the modern automotive field and the strict functional safety requirements imposed by standards such as ISO 26262, the work focuses on the analysis of an innovative selector design, implemented to satisfy extremely high quality, elegance and ergonomics expectations. The gear selector under consideration is featured by a reverse L-shape, with two directions of movement required to select four different driving modes (P-R-N-D).