A crash support assembly is provided in the tunnel region of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle has at least one exhaust tract guided through a tunnel of the vehicle and seat cross members are disposed to the side of the tunnel. A crash support is held on the exhaust tract and is disposed such that it swings freely between the seat cross members. A crash support of this type permits the vehicle to be optimized with regard to the conditions of a pole crash with a low outlay on production and assembly.