The invention relates to an actuation system for a drive unit of a motor vehicle, having has a drive control unit which is assigned to the drive unit and which has a function level and a function monitoring level. A (4), a first data transmission device (5) which is arranged in the function level (3), of the drive control unit and is connected to a separate external control unit via a first communication path via which a predefined setpoint torque (Msoll) can be forwarded from the external control unit to the first data transmission device. In addition, the drive control unit also has a second data transmission device which is likewise additionally connected to the external control unit via a second communication path. The same predefined setpoint torque can also be forwarded from the external control unit to the second data transmission device via the second communication path.