There are A/Ts that are more advanced than others, depending on market segment and generation.

For example, my 07' Civic has Grade Logic Control and will hold or select a lower gear when rolling down a long hill in D when you apply some braking. This engages engine braking to assist in regulating your downhill speed and to not overheat the brakes.

On the other hand, my 2015 Innova 2.5G will not automatically shift down in D when rolling downhill. To do engine braking, I need to manually shift to D3 or 2.

These are just two examples I have first hand info of. The technology does not depend on whether it's CVT, traditional A/T with a torque converter, or if it's a DCT, etc. The automatic gear changing is implemented in the ECM/PCM software.