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 (B) 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 (F) that characterize a system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current sensor configuration of the vehicle, - - to provide the function input variables (F) at the first interface , - - depending on one or more output variables (A) 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 (S) of the actuators and - the function module is designed: - - depending on the function input variables (F) provided at the first interface and a predefined set of rules, to determine the one or more output variables (A) that characterize an operating strategy from a set of predefined operating strategies, wherein the rules contain conditional instructions, and - - to provide the output variables (A) at the second interface . - in which the base module is designed: - - depending on at least one operating variable (B) 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 (F) that characterize a system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current sensor configuration of the vehicle, - - to provide the function input variables (F) at the first interface , - - depending on one or more output variables (A) 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 (S) of the actuators and - - depending on at least one operating variable (B) 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 (F) that characterize a system behaviour of the vehicle independently of a current sensor configuration of the vehicle, - - to provide the function input variables (F) at the first interface , - - depending on one or more output variables (A) 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 (S) of the actuators and - the function module is designed: - - depending on the function input variables (F) provided at the first interface and a predefined set of rules, to determine the one or more output variables (A) that characterize an operating strategy from a set of predefined operating strategies, wherein the rules contain conditional instructions, and - - to provide the output variables (A) at the second interface . - - depending on the function input variables (F) provided at the first interface and a predefined set of rules, to determine the one or more output variables (A) that characterize an operating strategy from a set of predefined operating strategies, wherein the rules contain conditional instructions, and - - to provide the output variables (A) at the second interface . <EOS>