METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTROLLING A DRIVE UNIT OF A VEHICLE

The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling a drive unit (1) of a motor vehicle. The method and arrangement reduce the lost motion of an operator-controlled element (5), which is actuable by the driver, up to an increase of the road speed of the vehicle beyond the road speed pregiven by the road speed controller (10). The degree of actuation (F) of the operator-controlled element (5) is detected and a desired value (S) for the torque of the drive unit (1) is formed from this degree of actuation (F). The desired value (S) for the torque is compared to a pregiven value (V) for the torque requested just then by the road speed controller (10). The torque of the drive unit (1) can only then approach the desired value (S) via control of the drive unit (1) when the desired value (S) exceeds the input value (V). The course of the desired value (S) for the torque is selected as a function of the degree of actuation (F) of the operator-controlled element (5) so that a pregiven value (VW) for the degree of actuation (F) of the operator-controlled element (5) is not exceeded at an intersect point (SP′) of the course of the desired value (S) for the torque and the input value (V) just then requested by the road speed controller (10).