USING VEHICLE CAMERAS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DETERMINING APPROACH ANGLES ONTO DRIVEWAYS

An apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive pixel data of an area external to a vehicle. The processor may be configured to generate video frames from the pixel data, perform computer vision operations on the video frames to detect objects in the video frames and determine characteristics of the objects, analyze the characteristics of the objects to determine elevation characteristics of a driving surface with respect to the vehicle, perform a comparison of the elevation characteristics to clearance data of the vehicle and determine an approach angle for the vehicle in response to the comparison. The approach angle may be determined to prevent an impact between the vehicle and the driving surface. The approach angle may be presented to a vehicle system.