Method for monitoring the vehicle surroundings of a vehicle combination and monitoring system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for monitoring the vehicle surroundings (U) of a vehicle combination (), in particular utility vehicle combination (), composed of a traction vehicle () and at least one trailer () using a monitoring system with a camera (), having at least the following steps:—defining a monitoring space () within a capture range () of the camera (), wherein the monitoring system monitors only the monitoring space () for critical objects which can give rise to a collision probability, wherein the monitoring space () is defined and oriented in such a way that the vehicle surroundings (U) are located at least partially in the monitoring space (), and at the same time the vehicle combination () is not located in the monitoring space (), wherein for this purpose—a variable (δ, ω) which characterizes the orientation between the traction vehicle () and the trailer () is acquired; and—a manipulated variable (β) is determined as a function thereof, with which method the monitoring space () is shifted within the capture range () and therefore adapted dynamically; and—detecting whether critical objects are located in the monitoring space (), in order to avoid a collision between an object which presents a risk and is located in the monitored vehicle surroundings (U) and the vehicle combination () in question.