At the time of a failure in the second group of engagement devices, the
manner of input of oil pressures to a fail-safe valve group is changed
via a priority degree switching valve on the basis of the state of
engagement of engagement devices of the first group in such a manner that
the predetermined degrees of priority for the supply of one of oil
pressures PC4, PB1 output from linear solenoid valves SL4, SL5 to a
corresponding one of a clutch C4 and a brake B1 via the fail-safe valve
group are changed so as to avoid an event that the fail-safe gear stage
established in order to prevent the occurrence of interlock of the
automatic transmission involves a downshift of two or more stages from
the speed change stage maintained immediately prior to the occurrence of
the failure. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an
uncomfortable behavior of the vehicle caused by the shift to the
fail-safe gear stage.