Method for operating a vehicle

A method for operating a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is operable in a driving mode with autonomous lateral control and in a driving mode with manual lateral control,

• wherein the vehicle comprises a steering handle with a steering handle range, wherein the steering handle range represents a space which is formed by a virtual rotational path through which the steering handle geometry passes during a 360° rotation of the steering handle about its steering axis,
• the method comprising the following steps:
• operating the vehicle in a driving mode with autonomous lateral control;
• detecting an intrusion into a free space of the steering handle range and/or a breaching of a predefined distance to the free space of the steering handle range by a vehicle occupant or another object with a sensor unit and without necessitating the vehicle occupant touching the steering handle;
• and
• signaling the intrusion and/or the breaching of the distance to the vehicle occupant.