A system for identifying a position of a gear shift lever, comprising: a magnetic field sensor (24; 50; 122; 200) comprising: a target (20;90;92;94;96;98;100;102;112;124) and two or more magnetic field sensing elements (1,2,3,4) disposed in a plane proximate to a major surface of the target (20; 90; 92; 94; 96; 98; 100; 102; 112; 124), the two or more magnetic field sensing elements (1,2,3,4) configured to generate two or more magnetic field signals in response to a sensed magnetic field influenced by a relative position between the magnetic field sensor and the target, the target comprising a ferromagnetic target, the target disposed proximate to the magnetic field sensor, wherein at least one of the magnetic field sensor or the target is configured to couple to the gear shift lever, the gear shift lever configured to move to select from among a plurality of gears, wherein the other one of the magnetic field sensor or the target is configured to couple to a structure (22; 32) stationary with respect to the gear shift lever, wherein the target comprises: selected characteristics such that the two or more magnetic field signals have different respective magnetic field signal values when the gear shift lever selects different ones of the plurality of gears, wherein the system further comprises: an electronic circuit coupled to receive the two or more magnetic field signals, and configured to generate an output signal (76a; 232a) indicative of selected ones of the plurality of gears selected by the gear shift lever; and a back-biasing magnet, the two or more magnetic field sensing elements disposed between the back-biasing magnet and the target, the back-biasing magnet for generating the sensed magnetic field. a magnetic field sensor (24; 50; 122; 200) comprising: a target (20;90;92;94;96;98;100;102;112;124) and two or more magnetic field sensing elements (1,2,3,4) disposed in a plane proximate to a major surface of the target (20; 90; 92; 94; 96; 98; 100; 102; 112; 124), the two or more magnetic field sensing elements (1,2,3,4) configured to generate two or more magnetic field signals in response to a sensed magnetic field influenced by a relative position between the magnetic field sensor and the target, the target comprising a ferromagnetic target, the target disposed proximate to the magnetic field sensor, wherein at least one of the magnetic field sensor or the target is configured to couple to the gear shift lever, the gear shift lever configured to move to select from among a plurality of gears, wherein the other one of the magnetic field sensor or the target is configured to couple to a structure (22; 32) stationary with respect to the gear shift lever, wherein the target comprises: selected characteristics such that the two or more magnetic field signals have different respective magnetic field signal values when the gear shift lever selects different ones of the plurality of gears, wherein the system further comprises: an electronic circuit coupled to receive the two or more magnetic field signals, and configured to generate an output signal (76a; 232a) indicative of selected ones of the plurality of gears selected by the gear shift lever; and a back-biasing magnet, the two or more magnetic field sensing elements disposed between the back-biasing magnet and the target, the back-biasing magnet for generating the sensed magnetic field. an electronic circuit coupled to receive the two or more magnetic field signals, and configured to generate an output signal (76a; 232a) indicative of selected ones of the plurality of gears selected by the gear shift lever; and a back-biasing magnet, the two or more magnetic field sensing elements disposed between the back-biasing magnet and the target, the back-biasing magnet for generating the sensed magnetic field.