Monitoring apparatus and method

A vehicle comprising an apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to the host vehicle, comprising:

• at least one sensor;
• and
• a monitoring apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to detection by the at least one sensor of prescribed relative movement between the host vehicle and the one or more target objects:
• wherein the monitoring apparatus is arranged to determine a lateral offset value being a distance of the or each target object from an extended axis of the host vehicle and to selectively over-ride triggering of the at least one action such that triggering of the at least one action is not performed based on the lateral offset value.

A method of monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the method comprising:

• monitoring relative movement between the host vehicle and the one or more target objects;
• triggering at least one action based on detection of prescribed relative movement between the host vehicle and the one or more target objects;
• determining a value of a lateral offset of the or each target object from an extended axis of the host vehicle;
• and
• selectively over-riding triggering of the at least one action such that triggering of the at least one action is not performed based on the value of the lateral offset.