Abstract: A sensor for and method of continuously detecting the instantaneous position of a piston in the cylinder of a dashpot with a protective cover, for motor vehicles. The sensor consists of a cylindrical coil (9) accommodated on or in the cover (3). The coil constitutes in conjunction with the magnetizable cylinder (1) a variable inductive resistor (12). The inductive resistor is connected in series with an ohmic resistor (13). The series is subjected to a pulse voltage. The voltage drop over either resistor is rectified and measured and employed as a reference for the position of the piston (7) in the cylinder (1). The method in accordance with the invention supplies signals proportional to the stroke traveled by the piston, position signals for level control, and, by way of differentiation, signals representing motion that can be used to control the amount of vibration suppression.