A camera simulation system or method or process for simulating performance of a camera for a vehicle includes providing a camera having a lens and imager and providing a learning algorithm. Image data is captured from a raw image input of the camera and the captured image data and raw image input are output from the camera. The output image data and the raw image input are provided to the learning algorithm. The learning algorithm is trained to simulate performance of the lens and/or the imager using the output captured image data and the raw image data input. The performance of the lens and/or the imager is simulated responsive to the learning algorithm receiving raw images.