Apparatus and method for driving a vehicle

The device for the propelling of a vehicle through the controlling of a starter motor (112) of a driving engine (114) of a vehicle has a computing unit (102) designed to receive a diagnostic signal (122), and based on this signal identifying a failure of the driving engine and providing an emergency signal (126). An activating device (104) is designed to transmit an activating signal (130) in response to the emergency signal to activate the starter motor. The computing unit also receives a movement signal (124) derived from the brake pedal in response to which the computing unit deactivates the activating unit. An independent claim is included for a method for the propelling of a vehicle by means of the proposed device.