Method for graphically representing the surroundings of a motor vehicle

A method for graphically representing surroundings of a motor vehicle using a scene image, which represents a three-dimensional surrounding scene of the surroundings of the motor vehicle and which is output two dimensionally or three dimensionally to a display device for viewing by a user of the motor vehicle, the method comprising the acts:

• superimposing, by a graphical rendering unit disposed in the motor vehicle, graphical elements on the scene image, the graphical elements serving to assist the user in interpreting spatial information contained in the scene image, wherein the graphical elements and the scene image are displayed on the display device;
• and
• at least partially configuring and arranging, by the graphical rendering unit, the graphical elements in the scene image such that the graphical elements embody in the surrounding scene at least one virtual boundary object, which has a three dimensional spatial shape and which exhibits at least one reference surface delimiting a free space attainable by the motor vehicle without risk of a collision from an obstacle space attainable by the motor vehicle only with the risk of a collision,
• wherein a height profile of the at least one virtual boundary object and a course of a slope of the at least one reference surface of the at least one boundary object are determined as a function of properties of an obstacle in the surroundings of the motor vehicle,
• wherein the at least one virtual boundary object has a spatial expansion in a direction orthogonal to the at least one reference surface.