Method for Determining Contact with a Steering Handling of a Steering System

A method for determining contact with a steering handle of a steering system during an automated and/or autonomous driving operation, wherein the steering system is configured as a steer-by-wire steering system and comprises (i) a feedback actuator coupled to the steering handle and configured to generate a steering resistance and/or a restoring torque on the steering handle, and (ii) a detection sensor associated with the feedback actuator and configured to detect a movement of the steering handle, the method comprising:

• subjecting the feedback actuator to an oscillating test signal in at least one operating state, and determining a response signal of the detection sensor system correlated with the test signal;
• and
• determining a phase difference between the test signal and the response signal, and comparing the phase difference with a reference value in order to determine contact with the steering handle.