A coupling device for coupling a software component, which transmits a setting command for setting an actuator on a control system of a motor vehicle, to the control system, the coupling device including a monitoring unit, which is designed to carry out an assessment for each setting command as to whether its implementation will transfer the motor vehicle into a dangerous state, the coupling device being further designed to transmit, as a function of this assessment, a monitored setting command corresponding to the setting command to an implementation unit, the implementation unit being designed to control the actuator.