An auto tranny is not build to be put on N or P at every traffic lights, it's not good for it. It's build to be left in D all the time.

The Hold function does hold the car, in D. The cars does not move. Brake, stop the car, "brake push" and the car is hold. It does not move backwards, but it does not move forwars either. It allow you to wait for the traffic light without the foot on the brake. It is brilliant.

Also, if you don't throttle enough, it still holds untill the couple applied to the wheels is enough to make the car move.

It is a fabulous function I have to say. I used it all the time.

When the function is activated the speedo displays "SBC Hold" (and I suppose only Hold on the FL models 'cause they have no SBC...).

However the one-second hill surely is much less useful with an auto tranny, that is right. I think it is there because with the foot-operated handbrake, and a manual gearbox, hill-starting can be a a bit strange.