It is one of the two major connections between Montreal and Quebec City, the other being Autoroute 20 on the south shore of the St. Lawrence.

Between the Ontario–Quebec boundary and the interchange with Autoroute 25, the route is signed as part of the Trans-Canada Highway.

In addition, a different route was originally planned around Quebec City south of Jean Lesage International Airport (the existing 12 km (7 mi) segment of Autoroute 40 between Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures and Autoroute 73 would have been the western end of Autoroute 440, thus explaining the exit numbering starting at 12).

While the right-of-ways of both bypasses still exist and may still be developed in the future as congestion increases, there are no immediate plans to renew construction.

A 25 km (16 mi) stretch of the highway in Pointe-Claire, from roughly St. John's Boulevard, near Fairview Pointe-Claire Shopping Centre, to the turnaround loop, Senneville Road was used during the 1976 Summer Olympics for the men's road team time trial cycling race.