A system for controlling vehicle opening/closing element has a radiation block for irradiating near-infrared light to a peripheral region of an opening/closing element a photographing block that photographs an image irradiated with the near-infrared light a hand region extraction block that extracts a users hand region from brightness of an image photographed by the photographing block a motion detection block that detects motions of the users hand from the extracted hand region and a control block that determines whether or not the detected motions coincide with previously-set predetermined motions and that commands operation of the opening/closing element in accordance with the determined motions.
