Abstract: Aiming at the problem that vector field histogram (VFH) method is sensitive to threshold, a new real-time obstacle avoidance method which adjusts threshold adaptively to find feasible directions is developed for mobile robots based on laser range finder (LRF). Every threshold in a set of thresholds given in advance is used to find feasible directions. The one with maximal threshold in all feasible directions which are close to the goal heading is considered as reference motion direction of the robot. The linear velocity is limited according to the error between the current and the referenced motion directions and the threshold selected. The experimental results show that the robot ASR could traverse the corridor with obstacles safely and smoothly at an average speed of 0.61 m/s when the maximum speed of the robot is set to 0.8 m/s.