Technologies and techniques for operating an assistance system in a motor vehicle with which a driving a shoulder by the motor vehicle is detected by means of at least one detection device in the assistance system, and with which a control signal is generated by means of an electronic computing device in the assistance system for engaging with a functional unit in the motor vehicle. The shoulder that is detected is evaluated in terms of the type of shoulder, and a critical or non-critical driving of the vehicle on the shoulder is determined on the basis of the type of shoulder, and the control signal is generated in the case of a critical driving on the shoulder. The present disclosure also relates to an assistance system.