SURROUNDING AREA MONITORING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

The disclosed device, which is built into a vehicle, images the area surrounding the vehicle and detects physical objects in the area surrounding the vehicle on the basis of the image which is taken. The device determines whether the detected physical object is a pedestrian or an animal, and a warning is given to the driver of the vehicle if the determined physical object is present within a specified area from the vehicle. If it is determined that the detected physical object is an animal and that the animal is present within the specified area, the warning in continued for a specified period even after the animal has left the specified area. Animals have habits of behaving in a herd, so there is the possibility that an animal might be lurking in the area surrounding the vehicle even after an animal has left the specified area. The risk of lurking animals can be brought to the driver's attention by the continuation of the warning.