According to one aspect, a distance determination system for a vehicle includes an apparatus for generating and displaying a pattern generated by a holographic encoded medium in operable communication with an actuator and in communication with an electromagnetic radiation source configured to produce coherent electromagnetic waves. The distance determination system also includes an imager and a distance determination module in communication with the imager. The imager is configured to acquire image data representative of a field of view from the vehicle. The distance determination module is configured to locate at least one feature of the pattern in the image data and determine an estimated distance between the vehicle and the at least one feature based at least in part on a known position of the apparatus, a known position of the imager, and a layout of the pattern.