Abstract: A method for detecting a clear path of travel for a vehicle utilizing analysis of an image generated by a camera device located upon the vehicle includes monitoring the image, identifying through patch-based clear path detection analysis of the image a first patch within the image that indicates a not clear path, analyzing the first patch through patch smoothing, invalidating the first patch based upon the analyzing the first patch through patch smoothing, utilizing the invalidated first patch to define a clear path of travel for the vehicle, and utilizing the clear path of travel to navigate the vehicle.