Method for operating a hydrostatic vehicle steering system

A method for operating a hydrostatic vehicle steering system, comprising:

• rotationally operating an input shaft via a steering handle;
• rotary operating a steering dosing valve via an output shaft, the steering dosing valve used for hydraulic actuation of a steering cylinder interacting with steerable vehicle wheels;
• establishing a releasable rotary connection between the input shaft and the output shaft via a clutch;
• applying a predefinable steering torque to the output shaft via an actuating drive;
• automatically assuming a closed clutch position of the clutch under the effect of a restoring spring force in a first operating mode intended for manual steering operation;
• and
• bringing the clutch into an open clutch position counter to the effect of the restoring spring force via a controller in a second operating mode intended for autonomous steering operation;
• wherein the clutch is brought into the open clutch position, at the prompting of a switchover signal that can be generated via an operating arrangement, only when first and second trigger signals transmitted by the controller are present at the operating arrangement at the same time.