Techniques and architecture are disclosed for mobile transport systems configured to determine vehicle positions within an area using light-based communication signals. The system includes a plurality of luminaires located in an area and configured to transmit luminaire position data recognizable by a sensor disposed on a vehicle. The sensor receives an image of a luminaire including a light-based communication signal encoded with luminaire position data. Luminaire position data can be combined with luminaire layout information to determine a known location of the luminaire. A vehicle position relative to the known luminaire location can be determined based on mathematical relationships. Vehicle orientation relative to the area can be determined based an asymmetric fiducial pattern or multiple known luminaire locations. The system can combine a vehicle position relative to a known luminaire location with vehicle orientation relative to the area to determine a vehicle position relative to the area.