Abstract: A method for authenticating a vehicle-external device in a bus system of a motor vehicle comprising control units is provided. In order to effectively and inexpensively prevent a sequence control system that is stored in a control unit from being manipulated, an authentication device is provided in the bus system. The authentication device transmits an authentication request to the vehicle-external device. The vehicle-external device signs the authentication request with a secret key of an asymmetric pair of keys, such as a pair of public keys, and transmits the signed authentication request or exclusively the signature to the authentication device. The authentication device determines a signature of the authentication request using the same algorithm as the vehicle-external device, and decodes the signature transmitted by the vehicle-external device using the public key which is complementary to the secret key, and compares the determined signature with the transmitted signature.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for updating and/or expanding the functionality of the sequence control of at least one control unit of a motor vehicle are provided. In accordance with the method, a first data may be read from a first control unit and a second data may be read from a second control unit. A first check in the vehicle may be performed to ascertain whether the version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit corresponds to a predetermined version of a sequence control or is even more current than the predetermined version. If the outcome of the first check is positive, a more current version in comparison with the version of the sequence control currently running in the first control unit may be saved and/or a version which expands the functionality may be saved in the first control unit.

Abstract: A method is provided for the use-dependent information presentation in a motor vehicle. In order to provide use-dependent information presentation in a motor vehicle acceptable to the vehicle user, the following actions occur. Information intended for the presentation for a plurality of different types of use of the motor vehicle are transmitted and stored in the motor vehicle. The type of use of the vehicle is determined. And, the information from the plurality of information for the different types of use, which had been intended for the presentation for the determined type of use, is presented.

Abstract: A control unit transmits an authentication request to an authentication device via the bus system. The authentication device signs the authentication request using a first symmetric key and transmits the signed authentication request or only the signature to the control unit. The control unit compares the transmitted signature of the authentication request with a signature, which is determined by the control unit by applying the symmetric key to the authentication request, and/or the control unit decodes the transmitted signature of the authentication request using the first symmetric key to obtain a first hash value; and the control unit applies a hash algorithm to the authentication request to obtain a second hash value. The control unit is rendered operational if the comparison of the signatures and/or the hash values is positive or if the signatures and/or the hash values match.

Abstract: A method is provided for the use-dependent information presentation in a motor vehicle. In order to provide use-dependent information presentation in a motor vehicle acceptable to the vehicle user, the following actions occur. Information intended for the presentation for a plurality of different types of use of the motor vehicle are transmitted and stored in the motor vehicle. The type of use of the vehicle is determined. And, the information from the plurality of information for the different types of use, which had been intended for the presentation for the determined type of use, is presented.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a vehicle-external device in a bus system of a motor vehicle comprising control units is provided. In order to effectively and inexpensively prevent a sequence control system that is stored in a control unit from being manipulated, an authentication device is provided in the bus system. The authentication device transmits an authentication request to the vehicle-external device. The vehicle-external device signs the authentication request with a secret key of an asymmetric pair of keys, such as a pair of public keys, and transmits the signed authentication request or exclusively the signature to the authentication device. The authentication device determines a signature of the authentication request using the same algorithm as the vehicle-external device, and decodes the signature transmitted by the vehicle-external device using the public key which is complementary to the secret key, and compares the determined signature with the transmitted signature.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for updating and/or expanding the functionality of the sequence control of at least one control unit of a motor vehicle are provided. In accordance with the method, a first data may be read from a first control unit and a second data may be read from a second control unit. A first check in the vehicle may be performed to ascertain whether the version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit corresponds to a predetermined version of a sequence control or is even more current than the predetermined version. If the outcome of the first check is positive, a more current version in comparison with the version of the sequence control currently running in the first control unit may be saved and/or a version which expands the functionality may be saved in the first control unit.