Method for operating a sensor arrangement in a motor vehicle on the basis of a DSI protocol, wherein - the sensor arrangement has a central unit as a master and a plurality of sensor units (S1, S2, S3) as slaves controlled by the master, - the central unit and the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) are connected to a bus cable, and - communication takes place between the central unit and the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) via the bus cable with the following steps: - alternately performing an energy supply phase, on the one hand, and a communication phase, on the other hand, wherein the energy supply phase and the communication phase are each maintained for a predetermined duration, - supplying the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) with electrical energy in the energy supply phase as long as the energy supply phase continues, - repeatedly performing a communication cycle in the communication phase as long as the communication phase continues, with the following steps: sending a command (F1, F2, F3) from the central unit to at least one sensor unit (S1, S2, S3), receiving at least one response (A1, A2, A3) of a sensor unit (S1, S2, S3) in the central unit, receiving a respective energy status information item (ES1, ES2, ES3) from all sensor units (S1, S2, S3) in the central unit and interrupting the repeated performance of the communication cycle in the communication phase by a supplementary energy supply phase if at least one of the energy status information items (ES1, ES2, ES3) originating from the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) indicates that the corresponding sensor unit (S1, S2, S3) requires additional electrical energy for continued operation. - the sensor arrangement has a central unit as a master and a plurality of sensor units (S1, S2, S3) as slaves controlled by the master, - the central unit and the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) are connected to a bus cable, and - communication takes place between the central unit and the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) via the bus cable with the following steps: - alternately performing an energy supply phase, on the one hand, and a communication phase, on the other hand, wherein the energy supply phase and the communication phase are each maintained for a predetermined duration, - supplying the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) with electrical energy in the energy supply phase as long as the energy supply phase continues, - repeatedly performing a communication cycle in the communication phase as long as the communication phase continues, with the following steps: sending a command (F1, F2, F3) from the central unit to at least one sensor unit (S1, S2, S3), receiving at least one response (A1, A2, A3) of a sensor unit (S1, S2, S3) in the central unit, receiving a respective energy status information item (ES1, ES2, ES3) from all sensor units (S1, S2, S3) in the central unit and interrupting the repeated performance of the communication cycle in the communication phase by a supplementary energy supply phase if at least one of the energy status information items (ES1, ES2, ES3) originating from the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) indicates that the corresponding sensor unit (S1, S2, S3) requires additional electrical energy for continued operation.