At least two functions provided in an off-road operation of a vehicle are activated or deactivated by a single operation of a control device. The feedback regarding the activated overall functionality takes place via the display device, which may be provided as backlit symbol in the control device. The functions to be activated or deactivated are driver assistance on downhill grades in the form of a downhill driving restriction, flat accelerator pedal characteristic map, either power take-off function for a manual transmission or gear step preselection function for an automatic transmission, navigation display function, instrument cluster display function, driving light activation function, and automatic parking brake function.