A transmission element having at least one input and at least one output is described, the transmission element delivering a functional relationship (t=F(R)) between the input quantity (R) applied to the input and the output quantity (t) that may be picked up at the output and the functional relationship (t=F(R)) being stored in a characteristics map, wherein the characteristics map comprises at least one segment having a lower limit (N(bi)) and an upper limit (N(b(i+1)), a function value (t_(i)=F(N(b_i))) being assigned to the lower limit (N(bi)) and a function value (t(i+1)=F(N(b(i+1))) being assigned to the upper limit (N(bi+1)), and the output quantity (t) being interpolated between the lower limit and the upper limit.