A method for creating or augmenting a map for a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle establishes its location in a surrounding environment by comparing environment data acquired by at least one sensor with map data stored in the map. The method provides a base map of a surrounding environment of the motor vehicle; provides at least one base segment, wherein the at least one base segment has at least one characteristic feature; and creates or augments the map by generating map data, wherein the map data is generated by a map creation unit by assigning the at least one provided base segment to an associated position in the provided base map. Also disclosed is a corresponding device.