Method for determining a highly accurate position of, and for operating, an automated vehicle, comprising the following steps: - detecting environment data values, wherein the environment data values represent an environment of the automated vehicle, wherein the environment comprises at least two environment features (221, 222), wherein the at least two environment features (221, 222) are configured as light sources and the pattern is determined by a colour profile and/or a brightness profile of the at least two environment features (221, 222) being determined; - determining a pattern, depending on the at least two environment features (221, 222); - reading in map data values, wherein the map data values represent a map, wherein the map represents at least the environment of the automated vehicle, wherein the map comprises a reference pattern, wherein the map comprises the reference pattern depending on a time of day and/or depending on a season and/or depending on a weather situation; - determining the highly accurate position of the automated vehicle, proceeding from a comparison of the pattern with the reference pattern by variables such as lengths and/or angles and/or radii being compared with comparable variables of the reference pattern, wherein a highly accurate position should be understood to mean a position which, within a predefined coordinate system, for example GNSS coordinates, is so accurate that this position does not exceed a maximum permissible fuzziness, wherein it is taken into account that the at least two environment features (221, 222) have different colour and/or brightness profiles at different times of day and/or in different seasons and/or in different weather situations; and - operating the automated vehicle, depending on the highly accurate position, wherein the operating comprises determining a trajectory for the automated vehicle and/or travelling along the trajectory by means of automated lateral and/or longitudinal control. - detecting environment data values, wherein the environment data values represent an environment of the automated vehicle, wherein the environment comprises at least two environment features (221, 222), wherein the at least two environment features (221, 222) are configured as light sources and the pattern is determined by a colour profile and/or a brightness profile of the at least two environment features (221, 222) being determined; - determining a pattern, depending on the at least two environment features (221, 222); - reading in map data values, wherein the map data values represent a map, wherein the map represents at least the environment of the automated vehicle, wherein the map comprises a reference pattern, wherein the map comprises the reference pattern depending on a time of day and/or depending on a season and/or depending on a weather situation; - determining the highly accurate position of the automated vehicle, proceeding from a comparison of the pattern with the reference pattern by variables such as lengths and/or angles and/or radii being compared with comparable variables of the reference pattern, wherein a highly accurate position should be understood to mean a position which, within a predefined coordinate system, for example GNSS coordinates, is so accurate that this position does not exceed a maximum permissible fuzziness, wherein it is taken into account that the at least two environment features (221, 222) have different colour and/or brightness profiles at different times of day and/or in different seasons and/or in different weather situations; and - operating the automated vehicle, depending on the highly accurate position, wherein the operating comprises determining a trajectory for the automated vehicle and/or travelling along the trajectory by means of automated lateral and/or longitudinal control.