One aspect relates to a computer-implemented method for determining a quasi-rotation-invariant shape descriptor of point cloud data in an automotive system for monitoring the environment of a vehicle. In order to determine the shape descriptor, a method of determining a central point of a point cloud data is performed multiple times, each time using different values for one or more starting parameters. The method may yield different central points depending on the selected values for the one or more starting parameters. A regression line is calculated for the plurality of central points such that the shape descriptor is determined based on a base form of the plurality of central points.