A method for calculating a virtual target path around a target object that includes providing scan points identifying detected objects and separating the scan points into target object scan points and other object scan points. The method identifies a closest scan point from the target object scan points and identifies a path point that is a predetermined safe distance from the closest scan point. The method determines a straight target line adjacent to the target object that goes through the path point, and determines a distance between the target line and each of the other objects and determines whether all of the distances are greater than a predetermined threshold distance. The method identifies curve points for each other object whose distance is less than the predetermined threshold distance, and identifies a curve path that connects the curve points to be the virtual target path using a quadratic polynomial function.