A method and a device for generating images in a motor vehicle are provided. An infrared-sensitive camera generates images of the surroundings of the motor vehicle. An emission source emitting in the near infrared spectral region is used for the pulsed illumination of sub-ranges of the image recording region of the camera. The camera generates the images by recording partial image regions. To record the partial image regions, a synchronization in time is carried out with the pulsed illumination of the sub-range including at least the partial image region. In the preferred exemplary embodiment, the recording of partial image regions of an infrared-sensitive CMOS camera is synchronized in time with a laser diode array emitting in the near infrared spectral region.