When a microcontroller, having associated output stages which are used to control components, is used, a digital release signal, in addition to the control signal, is supplied to an output stage which signals the blocking or releasing of the output stage according to the state of the signal. In the event of malfunction in the region of the microcontroller, the output stage can be disconnected. Modulation of the release signal and evaluation of the release signal which is guided to the output stage enables a malfunction in the region of the production of the release signal and/or the transmission of the release signal to be recognized using the absence of the modulation. In the event of malfunction, the output stage can disconnected in a reliable manner.