For instance, a given car traveling on a road of a given slope presents a load which the engine must act against. Because air resistance increases with speed, the motor must put out more torque at a higher speed in order to maintain the speed. By shifting to a higher gear, one may be able to meet the requirement with a higher torque and a lower engine speed, whereas shifting to a lower gear has the opposite effect. Accelerating increases the load, whereas decelerating decreases the load.