Attention calling device and attention calling method

An attention calling device comprising:

• a processor configured to execute
• a target object position recognizing process that recognizes a position of a target object present in front of a subject vehicle, and
• a display control process that controls image display on a display device provided in the subject vehicle and performs an attention calling process to cause the display device to display a virtual image corresponding to the target object such that the virtual image is visually recognized by a driver of the subject vehicle as overlapping the target object based on the position of the target object recognized by the target object position recognizing process, wherein
• the processor executes an attention load reduction region setting process that sets an attention load reduction region that is a region monitored by a drive assisting device comprised in the subject vehicle according to a drive assisting function exerted by operating the drive assisting device,
• the processor regards an object positioned in front of the subject vehicle as the target object and recognizes a position of the object in the target object position recognizing process, and
• when the position of the object is recognized by the target object position recognizing process during operation of the drive assisting device, the processor performs the attention calling process by displaying the virtual image corresponding to the object in a second display manner in which conspicuity of the virtual image is lower than a region other than the attention load reduction region when the position of the object is inside the attention load reduction region in the display control process.

An attention calling method comprising:

• at a computer:
• recognizing a position of a target object in front of a subject vehicle;
• controlling image display on a display device provided in the subject vehicle and performing an attention calling process to cause the display device to display a virtual image corresponding to the target object such that the virtual image is visually recognized by a driver of the subject vehicle as overlapping the target object based on the position of the target object;
• setting an attention load reduction region that is a region monitored by a drive assisting device comprised in the subject vehicle according to a drive assisting function exerted by operating the drive assisting device;
• regarding the attention load reduction region as the target object and recognizing a position of the attention load reduction region;
• and
• performing the attention calling process by causing the display device to display the virtual image for the attention load reduction region in such a manner that conspicuity of the virtual image is lower than a region other than the attention load reduction region based on the position of the attention load reduction region during operation of the drive assisting device.

An attention calling method comprising:

• at a computer:
• recognizing a position of a target object present in front of a subject vehicle;
• controlling image display on a display device provided in the subject vehicle and performing an attention calling process to cause the display device to display a virtual image of the target object such that the virtual image is visually recognized by a driver of the subject vehicle as overlapping the target object based on the position of the target object;
• setting an attention load reduction region that is a region monitored by a drive assisting device comprised in the subject vehicle according to a drive assisting function exerted by operating the drive assisting device;
• regarding an object positioned in front of the subject vehicle as the target object and recognizing a position of the object;
• and
• performing the attention calling process by displaying the virtual image corresponding to the object in a second display manner in which conspicuity of the virtual image is lower than a region other than the attention load reduction region when the position of the object is recognized during operation of the drive assisting device and the position of the object is inside the attention load reduction region.