NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH OPERATION OBSTACLE ALERT MECHANISM AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

A navigation system includes: a control unit configured to: identify a route obstacle in a travel environment of a user vehicle during operation of the user vehicle in an autonomous operation mode; generate an obstacle handling assessment of whether the user vehicle is capable of navigation beyond the route obstacle in the autonomous operation mode; generate an obstacle orientation alert based on the obstacle handling assessment and an engagement state of a system user of the user vehicle; a user interface, coupled to the control unit, configured to present the obstacle orientation alert.