The present disclosure relates to a method for performing a software update in a control unit of a motor vehicle. The present disclosure provides that, during driving operation of the motor vehicle, a first analysis device of the motor vehicle is used to predict, for a predefined future time interval in which the control unit is operated in order to generate control data, an idle time interval in which the generation of the control data of at least one software module of the control unit is interrupted during the driving operation at least for a predefined minimum duration because of a vehicle state existing then, and the software update is started at the beginning of the idle time interval.