Control for a vehicle

1 .- 9 . (canceled)

10 . Control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one activatable momentary contact, controlling or switching element for actuating motor-vehicle-internal functions;

wherein the control is arranged on the handbrake lever of a manually activatable handbrake of the vehicle.

11 . The control apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the control is at least partially integrated into the handbrake lever.

12 . The control apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:

the handbrake lever includes a hand rest section with a contact sensor system; and

the momentary contact, controlling and/or switching element is actuatable only if the operator's hand is in contact with the hand rest section.

13 . The control apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the hand rest section is arranged on a rear upper side of the control, facing away from the direction of travel.

14 . The control apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the hand rest section is arranged so that when the handbrake is activated it is not touched by the hand of the operating person.

15 . The control apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a pushbutton momentary contact switch is provided on sections of opposing longitudinal sides of the control which lie at the front in the direction of travel.

16 . The control apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:

momentary contact, controlling and/or switching elements are provided on the upper side of the control lying at the front in the direction of travel; and

said elements comprise at least one of a touchpad, activation wheel, pushbutton momentary contact switch, sliding momentary contact switch and joystick.

17 . The control apparatus for a vehicle, wherein:

a pushbutton release switch for releasing a latched position of the handbrake is provided at a free end of a vehicle handbrake lever pointing in a direction of travel of the vehicle; and

a momentary contact, controlling and/or switching element is disposed at the top and in the front relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle; and

said element is arranged in a depression such that it is not activated when the pushbutton release switch is activated.

18 . A control apparatus wherein the power supply and data communication of the control are provided via lines which are routed on or in the handbrake lever.

19 . Control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a handbrake lever for controlling braking of the vehicle;

at least one digitally actuable element for controlling motor vehicle functions other than braking of the vehicle;

wherein said at least one digitally actuable element is mounted on said handbrake lever.

20 . The control apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein:

said handbrake lever has a hand rest section in the form of a contact sensor which detects the presence of an operator's hand resting thereon;

said digitally actuable element is operative to control said motor vehicle functions only if presence of a hand is detected on said hand rest section; and

said hand rest section is situated at a location on said handbrake lever, such that, when the hand brake lever is actuated to control braking, it is not touched by the operator's hand.

21 . The control apparatus as claimed in claim 20 , wherein a pushbutton momentary contact switch is provided on sections of opposing longitudinal sides of the control which lie at the front in the direction of travel.