Parking assisting device, parking assisting method and storage medium storing program for the parking assisting device

A parking assisting method for a parking assisting device, the method comprising;

• recognizing an outer world of a vehicle;
• performing an operation control on the vehicle;
• parking the vehicle at a target parking position determined with a predetermined measure;
• producing an image of a surrounding area of the vehicle from images taken by an imaging device with which the vehicle is equipped;
• displaying, on a display device with which the vehicle is equipped, a three-dimensional view image of the vehicle and its surrounding area as seen from a viewpoint, wherein the three-dimensional view image includes a vehicle body image of the vehicle and the image of the surrounding area of the vehicle on which the vehicle body image is superimposed;
• making a portion of the vehicle shown in the vehicle body image translucent, which makes a blind area visible to a driver in the surrounding area of the vehicle;
• and
• changing the translucent portion of the vehicle according to a direction in which the vehicle is running, wherein
• the viewpoint is located rearward and obliquely upward of the vehicle when the vehicle is running frontward,
• the viewpoint is located frontward and obliquely upward of the vehicle when the vehicle is running rearward,
• a front portion of the vehicle shown in the vehicle body image is made translucent and a rear portion of the vehicle shown in the vehicle body image is made opaque when the vehicle is running frontward, and
• the rear portion of the vehicle shown in the vehicle body image is made translucent and the front portion of the vehicle shown in the vehicle body image is made opaque when the vehicle is running rearward.

A storage medium storing a program causing an electronic control unit to perform operations comprising:

• recognizing an outer world outside a vehicle;
• controlling an operation of the vehicle;
• performing a parking operation to park the vehicle at a target parking position that is determined with a predetermined measure;
• producing a first image of a surrounding area of the vehicle from images taken of the surrounding area of the vehicle by an imaging device with which the vehicle is equipped;
• and
• displaying a three-dimensional view image of the vehicle and its surrounding area as seen from a viewpoint, wherein
• the three-dimensional view image includes a first vehicle body image of the vehicle and the first image of the surrounding area of the vehicle on which the first vehicle body image is superimposed,
• the viewpoint is located rearward and obliquely upward of the vehicle when the vehicle is running frontward,
• the viewpoint is located frontward and obliquely upward of the vehicle when the vehicle is running rearward,
• the first vehicle body image shows a portion of the vehicle made translucent, which makes a blind area visible to a driver in the surrounding area of the vehicle,
• the portion of the vehicle made translucent is changed according to a direction in which the vehicle is running,
• the first vehicle body image shows a translucent front portion of the vehicle and an opaque rear portion of the vehicle when the vehicle is running frontward, and
• the first vehicle body image shows a translucent rear portion of the vehicle and an opaque front portion of the vehicle when the vehicle is running rearward.