A rotary shifter having a housing with a bezel cover. An auto return to park mechanism is provided and includes a knob supported upon the bezel cover. A rotary disk stopper is secured to the knob and seated within the housing, a spring rotationally biasing the end stopper relative to the housing. A solenoid is supported within the housing and engages the stopper in a first condition limiting the knob to manual rotary shifting between Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive gear shift positions. A PCB board is integrated into the housing and communicable with at least one external sensor associated with a driver exit condition. Upon a triggering of the exit condition with the shifter in other than a Park position, the solenoid is energized to disengage the end stopper in a second release condition permitting the spring to reset the stopper and knob to the Park position.