Method for Actuating a Vehicle Brake System of a Vehicle, and Towing Vehicle

A method is for actuating a vehicle brake system of a vehicle with a towing vehicle and a trailer that can be coupled. The towing vehicle has a trailer interface via which interface signals can be transmitted between the towing vehicle and the coupled trailer. The method includes: reading a sensor signal from a vehicle sensor, determination and provision of a monitoring result by evaluating the sensor signal, wherein the monitoring result indicates whether or not at least one trailer is coupled, wherein the sensor signal and/or the monitoring result is/are determined independently of the interface signals acting on the trailer interface and/or transmitted via the trailer interface in the case of a coupled trailer; selecting a braking strategy depending on the monitoring result and/or the sensor signal, and actuating the vehicle brake system of the vehicle depending on the selected braking strategy when there is a braking demand.