A transmitter generates a V2X message, where the V2X message includes reference object indication information and position indication information, the reference object indication information indicates at least one reference object, and the position indication information indicates a position of a target object relative to the at least one reference object; the transmitter sends the V2X message to a receiver; and the receiver determines target position information of the target object based on the reference object indication information and the position indication information. In the foregoing process, the transmitter transfers relative position information relative to the reference object to the receiver by using the V2X message, and does not need to perform deflection. In addition, the V2X message indicates a reference object on which position information is based.