In this paper, a distance measuring system using a PSD sensor in proposed, which in suitable for low-cost localization sensor of a mobile robot. Because the distance-voltage output of PSD sensor has a non-linear property, the linearizing function is proposed through the experimental characteristics of the sensor. And the characteristics are tested and the distance-voltage data are measured in various colors and materials of object. The parameters of the proposed function are extracted by using the measured data. Finally, the performance and the accuracy of the developed system are verified according to the comparison of the distance by the proposed function with the real distance.