Arrangement and method for programming at least one vehicle control apparatus

A vehicle control system comprises a number of control units 13 to 20 which are to be programmed and a central control device 10 including a non-volatile vehicle configuration memory 11 and a programming program, the control units being connected together via a bus system 12. When one of the control units 13 to 20 has been replaced, the programming program is initiated by that control unit to transmit the appropriate vehicle configuration data from the central control device 10 to that unit. The programming program may be initiated when the data contained in a replaced control unit does not correspond to that in the vehicle configuration memory 11.