Abstract: An image obtainer, a distance detector, a computer, and an information provider are provided to a vehicle. The computer has a caution-determination function to determine whether caution is required with respect to objects existing around the vehicle by arithmetically processing image data and distance data, and an information providing function to output an instruction to provide information to the occupants of the vehicle by the information provider when it is determined that caution is required. A reference axis for obtaining image is positioned at the center of a range of obtaining the image data by the image obtainer, and a reference axis for detecting distance is positioned at the center of a range of detecting the distance data by the distance detector. The image obtainer and the distance detector are arranged such that the reference axes are coaxially aligned.

Abstract: An obstacle detecting means for detecting data related to the position of an obstacle existing on the side of a vehicle or in front thereof, a computer for computing the detected data, and an alarming means are mounted in the vehicle. The computer includes: a function of setting an alarming area having a certain distance from the side part of the vehicle and a forwardly extended line of the side part, in an outward direction lateral to the side part; a function of tracking the obstacle based on the obstacle data; a function of calculating a traveling locus of the obstacle relative to the vehicle and predicting the traveling locus thereafter; a function of determining whether the traveling locus enters into the alarming area; and a function of generating an alarm to the occupants by the alarming means when the traveling locus is determined to enter into the alarming area.

Abstract: An image obtainer, a distance detector, a computer, and an information provider are provided to a vehicle. The computer has a caution-determination function to determine whether caution is required with respect to objects existing around the vehicle by arithmetically processing image data and distance data, and an information providing function to output an instruction to provide information to the occupants of the vehicle by the information provider when it is determined that caution is required. A reference axis for obtaining image is positioned at the center of a range of obtaining the image data by the image obtainer, and a reference axis for detecting distance is positioned at the center of a range of detecting the distance data by the distance detector. The image obtainer and the distance detector are arranged such that the reference axes are coaxially aligned.

Abstract: An obstacle detecting means for detecting data related to the position of an obstacle existing on the side of a vehicle or in front thereof, a computer for computing the detected data, and an alarming means are mounted in the vehicle. The computer includes: a function of setting an alarming area having a certain distance from the side part of the vehicle and a forwardly extended line of the side part, in an outward direction lateral to the side part; a function of tracking the obstacle based on the obstacle data; a function of calculating a traveling locus of the obstacle relative to the vehicle and predicting the traveling locus thereafter; a function of determining whether the traveling locus enters into the alarming area; and a function of generating an alarm to the occupants by the alarming means when the traveling locus is determined to enter into the alarming area.