Abstract: A method for operating a human machine interface for a vehicle comprising a control unit and at least one selection area designed as a touch-sensitive surface and at least one operating area designed as a touch-sensitive surface, wherein said at least one selection area and said at least one operating area are separated from each other, has the following steps: a) a touch on at least one arbitrary contact point of said at least one operating area is recognized, a) the number of fingers touching said at least one selection area is determined, and b) a button, by means of which an input is possible, is assigned to said at least one arbitrary contact point on said at least one operating area, wherein a function is assigned to the button, said function being selected depending on the number of fingers that touch said at least one selection area.

Abstract: A method for operating a human-machine interface (30) for a vehicle having a control unit (34) and at least one operating surface (32) which is constructed as a touch-sensitive surface comprises the following steps: (a) detecting a touch at at least one arbitrary touch point (46) of the at least one operating surface (32); b) detecting the quantity of touch points (46) on the at least one operating surface (32); c) detecting a gesture which is completed by the at least one touch point (46); and d) execution of a function by the control unit (34) depending on the detected gesture and the detected quantity of touch points (46). Further, a human-machine-interface (30) is shown.