The object recognition apparatus has an active range finder having a
floodlight unit which floodlights a light onto a target object, and
determines a distance up to a target object on the basis of a reflected
light therefrom, a stereo camera to determine a distance up to the target
object on the basis of image information from the target object, an
object recognition unit which recognizes the target object on the basis
of an output signal from the active range finder and an output signal
from the stereo camera, and a fill light control unit which controls the
floodlight unit to operate so as to irradiate a light floodlit by the
floodlight unit as a fill light of the stereo camera.