To improve distance detection accuracy by using a stereo color image.

R, G and B reference image signals from a reference camera 1 and R, G and B comparison image signals from a comparison camera 2 are given to an image matching degree computing part 15. The image matching degree computing part 15 finds a differential absolute value between a predetermined area of the reference image and that of the comparison image for each color image and combines the found differential absolute values together to find the matching degree. A distance information detection part 16 finds distance information from a parallax based on the found matching degree. As the matching degree is calculated by using the color image, distance detection accuracy can be improved.

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