A control device for controlling components in a vehicle with an interface to an external databus is described. The device includes a hardware module and a memory for making available the data necessary for the data processing. Controller processes are executed by control processes which can be actuated chronologically in parallel with one another, as a result communicating directly via an interface to the databus or with sensors/actuators in order to control components of vehicle. The control device has at least two configurable hardware modules which carry out a plurality of control processes in parallel on the basis of the messages from the databus or on the basis of the control instructions of the control device. A distribution unit is provided for assigning the controller processes which run in parallel to the hardware modules. After the assignment of a controller process to a hardware module, a hardware configuration is firstly loaded into the hardware module in order to newly configure its hardware, and after the allocation of the input data for the controller process, the newly configured hardware module performs the control of the assigned component.