A method for visualizing surroundings of a vehicle, especially in the dark is provided. A visual image, containing the digital data of the surroundings shows the visually perceptible objects. An infrared image, containing the digital data of the surroundings, shows the infrared radiation, emitted by the visually perceptible and/or other objects. An image fusion takes place that fuses the visual image and the infrared image into a target image, which can be represented in an image display unit, in order to simplify the allocation of the infrared radiation-emitting objects in the recorded environment. The image fusion is interrupted as a function of one environment parameter in order to represent only one of the two images, or none of the images, as the target image.