Control apparatus and control method for driving and controlling the occupant protection means for a vehicle

A method and a control unit are provided for controlling a passenger-protection arrangement for a vehicle, at least one switching converter being used to convert voltage. A modifying circuit is provided for the at least one switching converter, the switching converter being disposed on an integrated circuit. The modifying circuit determines a thermal load as a function of at least one physical parameter for the integrated circuit. Rise and/or fall times of at least one output signal of the at least one switching converter are modified as a function of this thermal load.