IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT

A processor of an image processing apparatus executes computer-program instructions to accordingly (i) define a three-dimensional virtual projection plane structure that includes a bottom plane parallel to a road surface and a wall plane raised to extend from an outer periphery of a bottom plane, (ii) determine a location of a virtual viewpoint above a vehicle on an orthogonal plane, the orthogonal plane being orthogonal to a virtual line connecting between an object located in a peripheral field of view and the vehicle, (iii) determine a direction of a line of view from the virtual viewpoint toward the wall plane, (iv) convert at least one image of the peripheral field of view captured by an imaging unit into a bird's-eye view image being viewed in the line of view, and (iv) instruct the display device to display the bird's-eye view image thereon.