LOCKING DEVICE

The invention relates to a locking device (10) for locking and/or unlocking a functionally essential component (1) of a vehicle, in particular a steering column, with a movable locking element (40), which can assume at least two positions by means of a control element (30), namely - a locking position (I.B), in which the locking element (40) is in an operative connection with the functionally essential component (1) for locking the functionally essential component (1), and - an unlocking position (I.A), in which the locking element (40) is not in an operative connection with the functionally essential component (1) for unlocking the functionally essential component (1), wherein the locking element (40) can be transferred to a position change from the unlocking position (I.A) to the locking position (I.B) or vice versa, wherein a detection element (50) is provided for detecting the position of the locking element (40).