Abstract: A method for creating a software image of at least a part of a control device for a numerical simulation, the control device mapping an input vector of control device input variables to an output vector of control device output variables during operation. The creation of the software image is formed by an artificial neural network or a support vector machine, using an input vector of map input variables having control device input variables of interest, and using an output vector of map output variables having control device output variables of interest. The software image is trained with the aid of supervised learning or with the aid of reinforcement learning, using a plurality of training input vectors of the control device input variables of interest and, in the case of the supervised learning, also using a plurality of corresponding training output vectors of the control device output variables of interest.