Feature extraction of range images provided by ranging sensor is a key issue of patt recognition. To automatically extract the environmental feature sensed by a 2D ranging sensor laser scanner, an improved method based on genetic clustering VGA-clustering is presented. By integrating the spatial neighbouring information of range data into fuzzy clustering algorithm, a weighted fuzzy clustering algorithm (WFCA) instead of standard clustering algorithm is introduced to realize feature extraction of laser scanner. Aimed at the unknown clustering number in advance, several validation index functions are used to estimate the validity of different clustering al-gorithms and one validation index is selected as the fitness function of genetic algorithm so as to determine the accurate clustering number automatically. At the same time, an improved genetic algorithm IVGA on the basis of VGA is proposed to solve the local optimum of clustering algorithm, which is implemented by increasing the population diversity and improving the genetic operators of elitist rule to enhance the local search capacity and to quicken the convergence speed. By the comparison with other algorithms, the effectiveness of the algorithm introduced is demonstrated.