WIDE ANGLE IMAGING SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING AN IMAGE OF THE SURROUNDINGS OF A VEHICLE, IN PARTICULAR A MOTOR VEHICLE

An imaging system includes a digital camera having a sensor (such as a charge coupled device), a first lens directing a first image onto a first region of the sensor, a second lens directing a second image onto a second region of the sensor, and a third lens directing a third image onto a third region of the sensor. A display screen displays to a driver of the vehicle the first image, and a processing unit performs stereoscopic image analysis on data originating from the second and third regions. A fourth lens may be used to direct a fourth image onto a fourth region of the sensor, and the processing unit performs calculations on data from the fourth region for the detection of movement of the vehicle.