DETECTING AND PREVENTING A CLAMPING EVENT

A device for detecting a trapping event of a motor-actuatable closing system of a vehicle includes sensor and reference sensor electrodes at least partially surrounding the edge of a vehicle opening closable by a closure element. A control unit applies an electrical potential to the sensor electrode for a charging process and a ground potential to the reference sensor electrode for a discharging process. The control unit detects a period of time until a minimum threshold for the electrical potential for the sensor electrode and the reference sensor electrode is reached. A difference between the period of times detected for the sensor and reference sensor electrodes is determined. An imminent trapping event is detected if the difference exceeds a predefined threshold and the period of time detected for the sensor electrode deviates from a predefined standard period of time or a standard period of time detected in a state detected without an imminent trapping event.