Control unit for operating a motor vehicle that has a multiplicity of actuators, wherein the control unit comprises a base module and a function module that is formed in a secure runtime environment, and a predefined first interface and second interface that each couple the base module and the function module, and - in which the base module is designed: - - depending on at least one operating variable that characterizes an operating state and/or a driving state and/or an environment state of the motor vehicle, to determine one or more function input variables that characterize a system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current sensor configuration of the vehicle, - - to provide the function input variables at the first interface, - - depending on one or more output variables that characterize a desired system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current actuator configuration of the vehicle and that are provided at the second interface, to determine manipulated variables of the actuators and - the function module is designed: - - depending on the function input variables provided at the first interface and a predefined set of rules, to determine the one or more output variables that characterize an operating strategy from a set of predefined operating strategies, wherein the rules contain conditional instructions, and - - to provide the output variables at the second interface. - in which the base module is designed: - - depending on at least one operating variable that characterizes an operating state and/or a driving state and/or an environment state of the motor vehicle, to determine one or more function input variables that characterize a system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current sensor configuration of the vehicle, - - to provide the function input variables at the first interface, - - depending on one or more output variables that characterize a desired system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current actuator configuration of the vehicle and that are provided at the second interface, to determine manipulated variables of the actuators and - - depending on at least one operating variable that characterizes an operating state and/or a driving state and/or an environment state of the motor vehicle, to determine one or more function input variables that characterize a system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current sensor configuration of the vehicle, - - to provide the function input variables at the first interface, - - depending on one or more output variables that characterize a desired system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current actuator configuration of the vehicle and that are provided at the second interface, to determine manipulated variables of the actuators and - the function module is designed: - - depending on the function input variables provided at the first interface and a predefined set of rules, to determine the one or more output variables that characterize an operating strategy from a set of predefined operating strategies, wherein the rules contain conditional instructions, and - - to provide the output variables at the second interface. - - depending on the function input variables provided at the first interface and a predefined set of rules, to determine the one or more output variables that characterize an operating strategy from a set of predefined operating strategies, wherein the rules contain conditional instructions, and - - to provide the output variables at the second interface.