Operating unit for an electrical apparatus, in particular for a vehicle component such as, for example, a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning installation, the operating unit being provided with - a housing having a front wall, - an operating strip projecting beyond the front wall, the operating strip having an operating surface with a plurality of operating fields (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) for triggering different apparatus functions, the operating fields being arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the operating strip and between two ends of the operating strip, - a support element for the operating strip, which is arranged in the housing, - wherein the operating strip is mounted on the support element about a tilt axis that extends transversely to the longitudinal extension of the operating strip, and - wherein the support element is pivotable in at least one pivoting direction about a pivot axis that extends parallel to the longitudinal extension of the operating strip between a rest position into which the support element is elastically prestressed and a pivot position, - at least one pivot position sensor (42, 44) for detecting the pivot position of the support element when the operating strip is actuated, - two tilt detection sensors (52, 54) for detecting a tilting of the operating strip about the tilt axis when the operating strip is actuated by manually pressing against an operating field (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) of the operating strip, - wherein the tilt detection sensors (52, 54) detect a movement of the ends of the operating strip when the same is actuated, and - an evaluation and control unit for receiving the signals of the pivot position sensor (42, 44) and the tilt detection sensors (52, 54) and for determining, on the basis of the signals emitted by the tilt detection sensors (52, 54), the operating field (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) on which, upon manual actuation of the operating strip, a finger of one hand is applied with an actuating force required for adopting the pivot position of the support element and for triggering the apparatus function that is associated with the determined operating field (22, 24, 26, 28,30). - a housing having a front wall, - an operating strip projecting beyond the front wall, the operating strip having an operating surface with a plurality of operating fields (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) for triggering different apparatus functions, the operating fields being arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the operating strip and between two ends of the operating strip, - a support element for the operating strip, which is arranged in the housing, - wherein the operating strip is mounted on the support element about a tilt axis that extends transversely to the longitudinal extension of the operating strip, and - wherein the support element is pivotable in at least one pivoting direction about a pivot axis that extends parallel to the longitudinal extension of the operating strip between a rest position into which the support element is elastically prestressed and a pivot position, - at least one pivot position sensor (42, 44) for detecting the pivot position of the support element when the operating strip is actuated, - two tilt detection sensors (52, 54) for detecting a tilting of the operating strip about the tilt axis when the operating strip is actuated by manually pressing against an operating field (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) of the operating strip, - wherein the tilt detection sensors (52, 54) detect a movement of the ends of the operating strip when the same is actuated, and - an evaluation and control unit for receiving the signals of the pivot position sensor (42, 44) and the tilt detection sensors (52, 54) and for determining, on the basis of the signals emitted by the tilt detection sensors (52, 54), the operating field (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) on which, upon manual actuation of the operating strip, a finger of one hand is applied with an actuating force required for adopting the pivot position of the support element and for triggering the apparatus function that is associated with the determined operating field (22, 24, 26, 28,30).