Method for operating a braking system of a vehicle and vehicle control system for controlling autonomous parking processes

A method for operating a braking system of a vehicle during autonomous parking processes, including a first electronic control unit, wherein the first control unit is designed for activating a service brake system and a partial braking system, comprising the following steps:

• initiating an autonomous parking process;
• activating the service brake system by operation of the first control unit in order to generate a braking force;
• in an event of failure of the service brake system, activating the partial braking system by operation of the first control unit in order to generate a braking force during a continuation of the autonomous parking process by utilising the partial braking system;
• wherein, in the event of a failure of the first control unit during an autonomous parking process, a second control unit, which is designed for activating the partial braking system and is coupled to the first control unit via a first communication link, carries out an activation of the partial braking system in order to generate a braking force, wherein the first control unit communicates failure of the first control unit to the second control unit via the first communication link,
• wherein, in the event of a failure of the first and of the second control units during an autonomous parking process, a third control unit, which is an upstream control unit designed for controlling autonomous driving of the vehicle and is coupled to the first control unit via the communication link and coupled to the second control unit via a second communication link, carries out an activation of the partial braking system in order to generate a braking force, wherein the first control unit communicates failure of the first control unit to the third control unit via the first communication link and the second control unit communicates failure of the second control unit to the third control unit via the second communication link, the second communication link different from the first communication link,
• wherein activation of the partial braking system occurs in a smooth transition so as not to abort the autonomous parking process that the autonomous parking process continues uninterrupted to completion, and
• wherein the third control unit takes over control of the entire autonomous parking process upon failure of the first and second control units to guide the vehicle safely into a parking spot.