A technology is provided for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle in which a driver approaching the vehicle is recognized, obstacles present in the surroundings of the vehicle are searched for, obstacle information is generated for searched and found obstacles, and the driver outside of the vehicle is notified of the obstacle information. The driver approaching the vehicle can be recognized via communication with a mobile communication device carried by the driver. Additionally, the technology determines whether or not the searched and found obstacle is present in a blind spot area of the driver, and notifies the driver outside the vehicle of the obstacle information related to the obstacle when the obstacle is present in the blind spot area of the driver.