Data processing device and data processing method

A data processing device installed in a vehicle, comprising:

• an occupant state recognition unit that recognizes the action of an occupant of the vehicle pointing outside the vehicle;
• a peripheral circumstances acquisition unit that acquires the peripheral circumstances around the vehicle;
• an object recognition unit that recognizes the object pointed at by the occupant based on the recognition results obtained by the occupant state recognition unit and the acquisition results obtained by the peripheral circumstances acquisition unit;
• a relative direction determination unit that determines the relative direction of the object with respect to the vehicle;
• and
• a light control unit that controls the light emission appearance of an oblong shaped light-emitting unit installed above or below the windshield of the vehicle in the width direction of the vehicle body,
• wherein the light control unit is configured so as to control the light-emitting appearance such that the relative direction is identifiable based on the recognition results of the object recognition unit, and when the relative direction changes as the vehicle moves, to change the light-emitting appearance in accordance with the change in the relative direction.