can be positioned in or run through the width of the bumper 16 as a foil or a conductive path the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 with the respective shields 13 and 14 are preferably arranged inside the bumper 16 fig4 shows a schematic side view of the arrangement of the second capacitance sensor 12 within the bumper 16 which can also just as readily be arranged in or on the side door 10 2 or the associated door sill the capacitance sensor 12 is depicted in cross section and exhibits a planar extension the capacitance sensor 12 is enclosed on the rear side by a metallic shield 14 which exhibits the same potential as sensor 12 such that the detection area 12 a is only directed toward the underside of the rear bumper 16 to improve the shielding effect the ground shield 24 connected to a ground contact 19 illustrated as a grounding and connecting the shield 24 to the vehicle ground is additionally provided doing so thus further improves the directional defining of the detection area 12 a fig5 shows the operative connection of the control unit 20 to the first capacitance sensor 11 and the second capacitance sensor 12 in a schematic view the control unit 20 comprises a logical element 22 configured as a logical and element the logical and element 22 effects an activation of the trunk lid 10 when.