The invention relates to a device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle, having a radiation source for infrared radiation for irradiating the surroundings of the vehicle, having an infrared-sensitive camera for taking images of at least part of the irradiated surroundings, having a display unit for displaying collected image data, and having a control unit for controlling the device. In this context, the control unit is embodied in such a way that, while the device is operating, the display represents image data in a chronologically limited fashion by means of controlled switching on and switching off, and in the process the switching off of the representation of images on the display is made gradual. The gradual switching off is carried out in particular by changing the brightness limiting values, the contrast limiting values and/or by increasing or reducing the noise of the image data to be represented. Furthermore, the gradual switching off preferably has a time-dependent or velocity-dependent profile. This device ensures that the vehicle with the device operates in a very safe way for the user.