Abstract: The possibility of extrinsic force-actuated opening and closing sliding doors and windows of a motor vehicle, in particular by electric motors, is of known art. Also systems are applied that interrupt or reverse the closing movement of a sliding door or a window if too great a resistance opposes the extrinsic force-actuated movement. Thus in particular the trapping of extrinsic objects is detected and injuries or damage to objects are prevented. With a combination of sliding doors and windows that can open it is, however, also possible that extrinsic bodies protruding through an open window into the traversing range of the sliding door are caught by the sliding door movement.