A display apparatus in a motor vehicle has at least one display element, which can be used to display at least one value and which has at least one light-emitting element for adjusting a display brightness for the display element. A sensing device has, a sensing element for sensing an ambient brightness for surroundings of the display element. The display brightness can be adjusted by the light-emitting element on the basis of the sensed ambient brightness. The sensing device is designed to prompt at least one function of the motor vehicle that is different than the adjustment of the display brightness when a change in the ambient brightness is sensed. A method operates such a display apparatus.