An apparatus for the contactless triggering of at least one function of a motor vehicle comprising a sensor system which is configured to recognize gestures of a user and which is configured to monitor at least a sub-area of an environment of the motor vehicle for a predetermined gesture being performed by a user of the motor vehicle and, if the sensor system recognizes a performance of the gesture, to trigger a performance of a function of the motor vehicle to be performed. The gesture may include a hand movement.