An operating device for a vehicle, comprising - a housing having a front face comprising a receiving opening being delimited by an opening edge, and having a rear wall, - an operating element being arranged in the receiving opening at a distance from the opening edge thereof and having an operating surface, said operating element having a front face provided with the operating surface, and a rear face, - a holding element having a bottom wall and support parts which protrude from the bottom wall, end below a delimiting edge region of the operating element, and are mechanically coupled to the operating element in the delimiting edge region, - wherein the bottom wall of the holding element has a central region which is spaced from the support parts, and a surrounding region surrounding the central region, wherein the bottom wall of the holding element is supported against the rear wall of the housing in the central region, and wherein the surrounding region of the bottom wall has a distance to the rear wall of the housing, - a plurality of actuation sensors for detecting a manual actuation of the operating element, wherein the plurality of actuation sensors are arranged between the bottom wall of the holding element and the rear wall of the housing, wherein the actuation sensors detect the bending moments which, upon manual actuation of the operating element, act on the holding element within the surrounding region of the holding element that surrounds the central region, and - an evaluation unit receiving signals from the actuation sensors and evaluating said signals for the purpose of detecting a manual actuation of the operating element with a predefinable minimum pressing force, - wherein the operating element comprises a display with a front face that displays information, characterized in that - the display comprises a cover pane defining the operating surface with a display unit for optical display of information being arranged behind the cover pane, - the cover pane protrudes over the display unit on all sides and said protruding area forms the delimiting edge region of the operating element, and thus said protruding area of the cover pane is mechanically coupled to the support parts of the holding element, and - the holding element receives a backlight unit for backlighting the display unit. - a housing having a front face comprising a receiving opening being delimited by an opening edge, and having a rear wall, - an operating element being arranged in the receiving opening at a distance from the opening edge thereof and having an operating surface, said operating element having a front face provided with the operating surface, and a rear face, - a holding element having a bottom wall and support parts which protrude from the bottom wall, end below a delimiting edge region of the operating element, and are mechanically coupled to the operating element in the delimiting edge region, - wherein the bottom wall of the holding element has a central region which is spaced from the support parts, and a surrounding region surrounding the central region, wherein the bottom wall of the holding element is supported against the rear wall of the housing in the central region, and wherein the surrounding region of the bottom wall has a distance to the rear wall of the housing, - a plurality of actuation sensors for detecting a manual actuation of the operating element, wherein the plurality of actuation sensors are arranged between the bottom wall of the holding element and the rear wall of the housing, wherein the actuation sensors detect the bending moments which, upon manual actuation of the operating element, act on the holding element within the surrounding region of the holding element that surrounds the central region, and - an evaluation unit receiving signals from the actuation sensors and evaluating said signals for the purpose of detecting a manual actuation of the operating element with a predefinable minimum pressing force, - wherein the operating element comprises a display with a front face that displays information, - the display comprises a cover pane defining the operating surface with a display unit for optical display of information being arranged behind the cover pane, - the cover pane protrudes over the display unit on all sides and said protruding area forms the delimiting edge region of the operating element, and thus said protruding area of the cover pane is mechanically coupled to the support parts of the holding element, and - the holding element receives a backlight unit for backlighting the display unit.