A method to initialize tracks from sensor measurements, the method comprising: identifying, at a processor, at least one tentative track by implementing a 3/3 measurement-to-measurement data association algorithm based on data collected from at least one sensor for sensing objects (15(1-N)) in an environment of a vehicle housing the at least one sensor at least three sequential times (t 1, t 2, t 3), wherein the implementing the 3/3 measurement-to-measurement data association algorithm comprises: resolving measurements from a spherical frame to a Cartesian frame; computing state vector statistics at an initial time (to); computing state vector statistics at a second time(t 2); and outputting initial state vector statistics to initialize the confirm/delete track filter for the identified tentative track; identifying measurements at a first time (t 1) that lie within a spherical gate of unassociated measurements from the initial time, wherein the spherical gate is a spherical region about a measurement vector and a gate threshold is a radius of the spherical region; and identifying measurements at the second time that lie within the spherical gate of associated measurements from the first time, the method further comprising: initializing a confirm/delete track filter for the identified tentative tracks at the processor; and using ellipsoidal gates computed from state vector statistics to one of: confirm the at least one tentative track; reprocess the at least one tentative track; or delete the at least one tentative track. identifying, at a processor, at least one tentative track by implementing a 3/3 measurement-to-measurement data association algorithm based on data collected from at least one sensor for sensing objects (15(1-N)) in an environment of a vehicle housing the at least one sensor at least three sequential times (t 1, t 2, t 3), wherein the implementing the 3/3 measurement-to-measurement data association algorithm comprises: resolving measurements from a spherical frame to a Cartesian frame; computing state vector statistics at an initial time (to); computing state vector statistics at a second time(t 2); and outputting initial state vector statistics to initialize the confirm/delete track filter for the identified tentative track; identifying measurements at a first time (t 1) that lie within a spherical gate of unassociated measurements from the initial time, wherein the spherical gate is a spherical region about a measurement vector and a gate threshold is a radius of the spherical region; and identifying measurements at the second time that lie within the spherical gate of associated measurements from the first time, the method further comprising: resolving measurements from a spherical frame to a Cartesian frame; computing state vector statistics at an initial time (to); computing state vector statistics at a second time(t 2); and outputting initial state vector statistics to initialize the confirm/delete track filter for the identified tentative track; identifying measurements at a first time (t 1) that lie within a spherical gate of unassociated measurements from the initial time, wherein the spherical gate is a spherical region about a measurement vector and a gate threshold is a radius of the spherical region; and identifying measurements at the second time that lie within the spherical gate of associated measurements from the first time, initializing a confirm/delete track filter for the identified tentative tracks at the processor; and using ellipsoidal gates computed from state vector statistics to one of: confirm the at least one tentative track; reprocess the at least one tentative track; or delete the at least one tentative track.