Abstract: A method operates control devices of a motor vehicle which communicate via at least one databus. A gateway control device which controls the transmission of data on the databus, or on each databus, and a plurality of motor vehicle control devices which control the functions of an assembly such as, for example, of an engine, of a gearbox or of an air conditioning system of the motor vehicle, are connected to the databus, or to each databus. One of the control devices, preferably the gateway control device, generates centrally a diagnostic message which is valid for the other control devices, preferably for the motor vehicle control devices, and transmits the diagnostic message to the other control devices on the databus, or on each databus. The other control devices then exclusively perform fault storage if a fault storage function is activated by the diagnostic message.

Abstract: A circuit system for configuring an interface of a control or regulating device to a signal transmission system by an interface module includes a first memory which is dependent on the control or regulating device and has a first signal table which contains data for describing substantially all possible signals which are provided to the signal transmission system (15) by way of the interface, and a second memory which is independent of the control or regulating device and has a second signal table which contains the current data for describing the current interface.