Methods and devices are known for operating a vehicle in which a torque of the vehicle is ascertained.
Today an engine control unit manages the drive train of the vehicle. Not only are the driver's intentions detected and the engine of the vehicle correspondingly controlled, but also torque requirements or limits of other components of the drive train, such as the driving dynamics control or the vehicle transmission, are taken into account. The engine control unit calculates the torque at various locations on the drive train of the vehicle, such as at the output from the engine, the output from the transmission, and/or at a wheel of the vehicle. These torques are measured during an application phase and stored in characteristic maps. The actual torque present is no longer measured during operation of the vehicle.