Lidar system with scene dependent focus intensity

An imaging system implemented in a vehicle, the imaging system comprising:

• an imaging sensor configured to generate sensor data as the vehicle moves through an environment;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive the sensor data from the imaging sensor;
• establish a first image density pattern for a field of regard of the image sensor;
• establish a second image density pattern for the field of regard for the image sensor;
• and
• determine whether to scan with the first image density pattern or the second image density pattern based on an analysis of an image returned by the image sensor, wherein the analysis includes determining, based on the image, a lower bound and an upper bound of a vertical region of interest (VROI) within the field of regard, computing a virtual horizon based on the lower bound and the upper bound such that the virtual horizon is between the lower bound and the upper bound, computing a confidence metric for the virtual horizon based on a difference between the lower bound and the upper bound, and selecting the first image density pattern or the second image density pattern based on whether the confidence metric satisfies a predetermined threshold.