Systems and methods for monitoring LiDAR sensor health

A system, comprising:

• a processor;
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to implement a method for operating an autonomous vehicle, wherein the programming instructions comprise instructions to:
• obtain LiDAR point cloud data generated by a LiDAR system of the autonomous vehicle;
• inspect the LiDAR point cloud data to infer a health of LiDAR beams;
• identify bad quality point cloud data based on the inferred health of the LiDAR beams;
• remove the bad quality point cloud data from the LiDAR point cloud data to generate modified LiDAR point cloud data;
• and
• cause the autonomous vehicle to perform at least one autonomous driving operation or mode change based on the modified LiDAR point cloud data;
• wherein the health of the LiDAR beam is inferred by computing a plurality of metrics based on characteristics of a LiDAR point cloud defined by the LiDAR point cloud data;
• and
• wherein a metric of the plurality of metrics is generated by:
• determining a first number representing a total number of data points in the LIDAR point cloud that have a first intensity value of a plurality of intensity values, and a second number representing a total number of data points in the LIDAR point cloud that have a different second intensity value of the plurality of intensity values;
• combining the first number and the second number to obtain a third number;
• and
• setting a value of the metric equal to the third number.