Method for characterizing lidar point cloud quality

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• capture valid points on a test target, the valid points including a first point cloud for a first region;
• capture invalid points outside the edge of the test target, the invalid points including a first point in a second point cloud within of the acceptable error threshold based on the first region and a second point in the second point cloud outside of the acceptable error threshold based on the first region;
• record a plurality of frames of the first point cloud and the second point cloud;
• evaluate the number of the invalid points and record the maximum value of the invalid points;
• generate a first score for the first point and a second score for the second point based on a penalty function and combining the first score and the second score to produce a point cloud quality metric for the invalid points;
• and
• calibrate, based on the plurality of the point cloud quality metric, the LIDAR system for the retroreflective object.