Motorized Mounting Device for Positioning an Optical Element Within a Field-of-View of an Optical Sensor and Method of Use

A mounting device for selectively positioning an optical element within a field-of-view of an optical sensor of a vehicle includes: a housing defining an opening sized to fit over an aperture of the optical sensor; a holder for the optical element connected to the housing and positioned such that, when the holder is in a first position, the optical element is at least partially within the field-of-view of the optical sensor; and a motorized actuator. The motorized actuator can be configured to move the holder to adjust the position of the optical element relative to the field-of-view of the optical sensor.