An apparatus for jointly detecting a color and a distance of an object, said apparatus comprising: - a transmission unit, comprising: - a light element which is configured to emit light in a predefined wavelength range; and - a transmission optics which is configured to direct the emitted light to an object; - a reception unit, comprising - a first reception element; - a second reception element which is arranged spaced apart from the first reception element; and - a reception optics, - wherein the reception optics is configured to receive light remitted by the object and to direct it to the first reception element and the second reception element; and - an evaluation unit which is configured to evaluate light received by the first reception element and to determine a distance of the object and to evaluate light received by the second reception element and to determine a color of the object, wherein the light element has a first light source, a second light source and a third light source which are spaced apart from one another and which are configured to emit light in three different predefined wavelength ranges, wherein the transmission unit further has a superposition optics which is configured to superpose the light emitted by the three light sources (111, 112, 113) and to direct it to a common beam axis, characterized in that the first, second and third light source (111, 112, 113) are successively activated so that an emission pattern results from the three wavelength ranges, wherein the second reception element is configured such that it determines the intensity of the remitted light and the evaluation unit determines the color of the object on the basis of this intensity, considering the emission pattern. - a transmission unit, comprising: - a light element which is configured to emit light in a predefined wavelength range; and - a transmission optics which is configured to direct the emitted light to an object; - a light element which is configured to emit light in a predefined wavelength range; and - a transmission optics which is configured to direct the emitted light to an object; - a reception unit, comprising - a first reception element; - a second reception element which is arranged spaced apart from the first reception element; and - a reception optics, - wherein the reception optics is configured to receive light remitted by the object and to direct it to the first reception element and the second reception element; and - a first reception element; - a second reception element which is arranged spaced apart from the first reception element; and - a reception optics, - wherein the reception optics is configured to receive light remitted by the object and to direct it to the first reception element and the second reception element; and - an evaluation unit which is configured to evaluate light received by the first reception element and to determine a distance of the object and to evaluate light received by the second reception element and to determine a color of the object, wherein the light element has a first light source, a second light source and a third light source which are spaced apart from one another and which are configured to emit light in three different predefined wavelength ranges, wherein the transmission unit further has a superposition optics which is configured to superpose the light emitted by the three light sources (111, 112, 113) and to direct it to a common beam axis, characterized in that the first, second and third light source (111, 112, 113) are successively activated so that an emission pattern results from the three wavelength ranges, wherein the second reception element is configured such that it determines the intensity of the remitted light and the evaluation unit determines the color of the object on the basis of this intensity, considering the emission pattern. wherein the light element has a first light source, a second light source and a third light source which are spaced apart from one another and which are configured to emit light in three different predefined wavelength ranges, wherein the transmission unit further has a superposition optics which is configured to superpose the light emitted by the three light sources (111, 112, 113) and to direct it to a common beam axis, characterized in that the first, second and third light source (111, 112, 113) are successively activated so that an emission pattern results from the three wavelength ranges, wherein the second reception element is configured such that it determines the intensity of the remitted light and the evaluation unit determines the color of the object on the basis of this intensity, considering the emission pattern.