Method for monitoring the integrity of a control device

A method for monitoring the integrity of a control device operated in an on-board electrical system of a vehicle, the control device has a power path connected to a vehicle battery of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• arranging at least one parallel circuit in the power path, each one of the at least one parallel circuit comprising a current-limiting unit and an electronic switching unit, wherein, by a control unit of the control device, the electronic switching unit is able to be switched to a switched-on state in which it has a lower electrical resistance than the current-limiting unit, or to a switched-off state in which it has a greater electrical resistance than the current-limiting unit;
• specifying a threshold value for an electrical power path current that flows in the power path when the electronic switching unit is switched off for the control device;
• determining a present current value of the power path current flowing in the power path every time that, or regularly while, the electronic switching unit is switched off;
• when the control unit is supplied with an activation signal for activating the control device, switching on the electronic switching unit by the control unit when the respectively present current value is lower than the threshold value;
• and
• when the control unit is supplied with a deactivation signal for deactivating the control device, switching off the electronic switching unit by the control unit,
• wherein the sum of the electrical resistances of all the current-limiting units has a value that permanently precludes a safety-jeopardizing impairment of the vehicle due to a malfunction of the control device.