A method performed by a vehicle control system, for representing an environment, wherein the vehicle control system comprises a main control unit, an environment detection sensor arrangement and a driver assist unit, and wherein the method comprises generating a representation of an environment by: first obtaining 3-dimensional environment data in a coordinate system, wherein the obtaining of 3-dimensional environment data comprises acquiring environment data from the environment detection sensor arrangement; identifying cylindrical structures and planar structures that mainly extend along a vertical extension in a coordinate system; conferring each identified cylindrical structure a first identification and a corresponding coordinate in a 2-dimensional projection (x-y) of the coordinate system; and conferring each identified planar structure a second identification and a corresponding coordinate in the 2-dimensional projection (x-y) of the coordinate system; the method further comprising comparing a first representation with a second representation, where the first representation is based on environment data acquired from the environment detection sensor arrangement, and where the second representation is based on predefined reference data, wherein the comparison is used for establishing a position of a vehicle that is using the environment detection sensor arrangement; and characterized in that the method further comprises: identifying an environment type based on the representation, and determining probabilities for one or more events in dependence of the identified environment type; using the representation as a prior in risk assessment when assessing safe operation and threats from occluded objects that can potentially appear; and adapting the driver assist unit, through the vehicle control system, and in dependence of the determined position and/or the determined environment type, to control an ego vehicle. first obtaining 3-dimensional environment data in a coordinate system, wherein the obtaining of 3-dimensional environment data comprises acquiring environment data from the environment detection sensor arrangement; identifying cylindrical structures and planar structures that mainly extend along a vertical extension in a coordinate system; conferring each identified cylindrical structure a first identification and a corresponding coordinate in a 2-dimensional projection (x-y) of the coordinate system; and conferring each identified planar structure a second identification and a corresponding coordinate in the 2-dimensional projection (x-y) of the coordinate system; the method further comprising comparing a first representation with a second representation, where the first representation is based on environment data acquired from the environment detection sensor arrangement, and where the second representation is based on predefined reference data, wherein the comparison is used for establishing a position of a vehicle that is using the environment detection sensor arrangement; and characterized in that the method further comprises: identifying an environment type based on the representation, and determining probabilities for one or more events in dependence of the identified environment type; using the representation as a prior in risk assessment when assessing safe operation and threats from occluded objects that can potentially appear; and adapting the driver assist unit, through the vehicle control system, and in dependence of the determined position and/or the determined environment type, to control an ego vehicle. identifying an environment type based on the representation, and determining probabilities for one or more events in dependence of the identified environment type; using the representation as a prior in risk assessment when assessing safe operation and threats from occluded objects that can potentially appear; and adapting the driver assist unit, through the vehicle control system, and in dependence of the determined position and/or the determined environment type, to control an ego vehicle.