A method for generating operating software on a control device for a motor vehicle by executing control software in a production line end computer or in the control device, has the following steps: a) Executing a diagnosis function in the motor vehicle, with which the configuration of the motor vehicle can be established so that the functions to be performed by the control device (1) are clearly defined, b) Selecting only from among the necessary software components from an external data source (2), so that the configuration of the motor vehicle can be mapped with the operating software on the control device (1), and c) Generating the component-individual operating software on the control device (1) by inclusion of the selected software components.