A method for monitoring the functioning of a control unit for the activation
of
output stages, for example, in a motor vehicle, is provided. The control unit includes
a main computing element having at least one microprocessor, and at least one auxiliary
computing element having at least one microprocessor. The main computing element
and the at least one auxiliary computing element may access a common memory element.
The present system enables monitoring of the control unit that is as simple as
possible but is nonetheless secure and reliable, by providing that during normal
operation of the control unit, the content of a specifiable memory location of
the memory element be queried by at least one of the auxiliary computing elements
at presettable times, given a functioning main computing element, the content having
previously been written with a presettable value by the same.
