Lighting apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising: - a processing module designed to receive, process and send signals from a data bus of the motor vehicle, and - a plurality of LED units each designed so as, in an operational state, to emit light of adjustable brightness and prescribed colour locus, wherein the LED units each have a microcontroller and a plurality of LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304), wherein the respective microcontroller and the associated LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304) are surrounded by a package of the respective LED unit, and wherein the LED units are further designed to communicate bidirectionally with the processing module, so that a present status value of a respective LED unit, which status value is representative of a functionality of the respective LED unit, is ascertainable by means of the LED units and the processing module, and wherein the present status value of the respective LED unit is ascertainable independently of an operating state of the associated LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304), wherein a respective LED unit comprises a temperature sensor that is designed to measure a present temperature value on the respective LED unit and to communicate bidirectionally with the processing module, so that the present temperature value on the respective LED unit is ascertainable by means of the temperature sensor and the processing module, and characterized in that a respective LED unit comprises a light sensor designed to measure a present brightness value on the respective LED unit and to communicate bidirectionally with the processing module, so that the present brightness value on the respective LED unit is ascertainable by means of the light sensor and the processing module. - a processing module designed to receive, process and send signals from a data bus of the motor vehicle, and - a plurality of LED units each designed so as, in an operational state, to emit light of adjustable brightness and prescribed colour locus, wherein the LED units each have a microcontroller and a plurality of LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304), wherein the respective microcontroller and the associated LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304) are surrounded by a package of the respective LED unit, and wherein the LED units are further designed to communicate bidirectionally with the processing module, so that a present status value of a respective LED unit, which status value is representative of a functionality of the respective LED unit, is ascertainable by means of the LED units and the processing module, and wherein the present status value of the respective LED unit is ascertainable independently of an operating state of the associated LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304), wherein a respective LED unit comprises a temperature sensor that is designed to measure a present temperature value on the respective LED unit and to communicate bidirectionally with the processing module, so that the present temperature value on the respective LED unit is ascertainable by means of the temperature sensor and the processing module, and characterized in that a respective LED unit comprises a light sensor designed to measure a present brightness value on the respective LED unit and to communicate bidirectionally with the processing module, so that the present brightness value on the respective LED unit is ascertainable by means of the light sensor and the processing module.