Operating assemblies and installed components of a vehicle are represented by representational objects such as icons, graphic images and symbols on a touch-sensitive display screen. A matrix with matrix fields defined by the intersection of rows and columns is superimposed on the objects on the display screen. A rectangular region of the matrix is selected by touching two corner points, for example. All of the objects located in matrix fields that are entirely within, or at least partially within, or at least partially within or bordering on the selected rectangular region, are selected. Once the group of objects is selected, the entire group of the operating assemblies and installed components of the vehicle represented by the selected group of objects is operated or actuated simultaneously together as a group.