State estimation for controlling a drive machine without sensors

A method for controlling an electrical drive machine of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• measuring actual stator currents of the electrical drive machine;
• estimating an internal state of the electrical drive machine as an estimated internal state based on the measured actual stator currents;
• determining a desired internal state of the electrical drive machine based on the estimated internal state of the electrical drive machine;
• determining a plurality of sets of successively actuatable fundamental voltage space vectors for the electrical drive machine, which are ascertained for successive sampling times;
• determining constraints on actuation of the electrical drive machine based on boundary conditions of the motor vehicle, which include surrounding traffic, atmospheric influences, and road conditions of the motor vehicle, and based on limits for motor operation of the electrical drive machine;
• selecting one of the plurality of sets of successively actuatable fundamental voltage space vectors for the electrical drive machine based on at least one selection criterion, which is determined based on the constraints;
• and
• actuating an inverter of the electrical drive machine with the selected set of successively actuatable fundamental voltage space vectors using direct triggers to achieve the desired internal state of the electrical drive machine.