an apparatus installed in a motor vehicle for carrying out the method according to the invention is illustrated schematically in fig1 . the apparatus comprises a first camera 1 and a second camera 2 that are arranged at a defined spacing a from one another . the two cameras 1 , 2 are aligned with a scene 3 that includes an object 4 , in the present case a vehicle , and respectively record an image of the scene 3 . the first camera 1 is sensitive in the visible spectral region , while the second camera 2 is visible in the infrared spectral region . here , the first camera 1 comprises sensors 5 that are respectively sensitive in a red , a green and a blue wavelength region , and a transformation matrix 6 connected to the sensors 5 . the first camera 1 and the second camera 2 are connected to a triangulation device 7 . they are also connected to a reproduction system 8 . the reproduction system 8 comprises a combination device 9 that is connected via a line 10 to the first camera 1 , and via a line 11 to the second camera 2 , a back transformation matrix 12 connected to the combination matrix 9 , and a display screen 13 for displaying a display image 14 . finally , an anti - collision device 15 on the vehicle is illustrated . this is connected to the triangulation device 7 . the second camera 2 records an image of the scene 3 in the infrared wavelength region in order to carry out the method according to the invention . it produces therefrom a y ir image signal and outputs it to the line 11 via which it reaches the triangulation device 7 on the one hand , and the combination device 9 , on the other hand . the first camera 1 likewise records an image of the scene 3 with the sensors 5 in the visible spectral region . using the rgb recording method , the sensors 5 supply the transformation matrix 6 with corresponding signals rgb of the image . the transformation matrix transforms the signals rgb into a multi - component color video signal yuv , the component y of the multi - component color video signal yuv being a luminance signal . the following matrix multiplication is carried out for this transformation : ( y u v ) = ( 0 . 299 0 . 587 0 . 114 - 0 . 169 - 0 . 3316 0 . 500 0 . 500 - 0 . 4186 - 0 . 0813 ) · ( r g b ) the multi - component color video signal yuv leaves the first camera 1 via the line 10 and , like the y ir image signal , reaches the triangulation device 7 , on the one hand , and the combination device 9 , on the other hand . the combination device 9 combines the y ir image signal with the multi - component color video signal yuv by replacing the luminance signal y of the multi - component color video signal yuv by the y ir image signal . a combined video signal y ir uv is obtained by replacement of the y signal in the multi - component color video signal yuv by the y ir image signal . in this multi - component color video signal , the brightness of each pixel is defined by y ir , and its color value is defined by u and v . this y ir image signal is output by the combination device to the back transformation matrix 12 . the back transformation matrix 12 is a device that executes a transformation of the video signal which is inverse to the transformation carried out by the transformation matrix 6 of the first camera 1 . in general , this back transformation is accomplished by the following matrix multiplication : ( r g b ) = ( 1 0 1 . 404 1 - 0 . 3434 - 0 . 712 1 1 . 773 0 ) · ( y u v ) that is to say , in the present case the back transformation matrix 12 converts signals from the yuv model into the rgb model . the combined video signal y ir uv is therefore converted in the back transformation matrix 12 into a second multi - component color video signal r ′ g ′ b ′ and finally output to the display screen 13 . a display image 14 derived from the second multi - component color video signal r ′ g ′ b ′ and constructed from pixels is reproduced by the display screen 13 , the pixels of the display image 14 being displayed with a color represented by the second multi - component color video signal r ′ g ′ b ′. in addition to generating the display image 14 , the multi - component color video signal yuv supplied by the first camera 1 , and the y ir image signal supplied by the second camera 2 are used to determine a distance of the object 4 to the cameras 1 , 2 . the image represented by the multi - component color video signal yuv , and the image represented by the y ir image signal are compared with one another in the triangulation device 7 . a search is made in this case for common features in the images . such features are used to identify the object 4 in the respective images of the scene 3 . since the images have a parallax displacement as a consequence of the defined spacing a of the two cameras 1 , 2 , a known simple triangulation method can be applied to determine a distance between the object 4 and the cameras 1 , 2 , respectively the motor vehicle , from the known , defined spacing a and the parallax displacement determined from the signals representing the images . the signals rgb produced by the sensors 5 represent three images of the scene 3 in which the scene 3 is respectively imaged in a red , in a green and a blue spectral region . consequently , as an alternative to the above it is also possible in each case to compare one of the signals r , g or b with the y ir image signal in order to find common features and to identify the object 4 by the triangulation device 7 , and to determine the distance of the object 4 to the cameras 1 , 2 in the way just described . however , it is also possible to compare with the y ir image signal the image that is represented by all three signals rgb and in the case of which the image in the red spectral region , the image in the green one and the image in the blue one are jointly combined to form a color image . the distance determined is transmitted to the collision apparatus 15 . the collision apparatus 15 is prescribed a limiting value for the distance that it compares with the distance that is determined by the triangulation device 7 . if the distance determined undershoots the limiting value , the collision apparatus 15 causes a correspondingly prescribed reaction . for example , the object 4 as illustrated in fig1 can be a vehicle driving in front . when the collision apparatus 15 ascertains that the distance to the vehicle driving in front undershoots the limiting value , it can therefore trigger as reaction an acoustic or optical signal that is determined as a warning for the motor vehicle driver . the signal can indicate to the driver when he should brake . also possible are arrangements of a type such that in their case the collision apparatus 14 arbitrarily takes over the control of the motor vehicle . this can range from automatic braking or acceleration for the purpose of automatically maintaining distance up to automatic avoidance movements of the motor vehicle or an emergency stop . an emergency stop is sensible chiefly when an object 4 crops up surprisingly in the driving direction and dangerously close in front of the motor vehicle .