---
title: 'Software Engineer, Map Fusion & Planning at DiDi Labs'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-map-fusion-planning-didi-labs-san-jose-g8fe119htkz6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Software Engineer, Map Fusion & Planning at DiDi Labs

- **Company:** DiDi Labs
- **Location:** San Jose, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-08-17
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/didi/jobs/8131864

## Job description

## About the Company

DiDi's autonomous driving unit was established in 2016 with the mission of developing Level 4 autonomous driving (AD) technology to make transportation safer and more efficient. In August 2019, the unit became an independent company, DiDi Autonomous Driving, dedicated to advanced AD R&D, product application, and business expansion. We believe integrating AD technology into a shared-mobility fleet will generate immense social value. By leveraging DiDi's specialized technology, operational expertise, and integrated ecosystem, we are positioned to build and operate a highly efficient, user-oriented autonomous fleet.

## About the Role

We are seeking a Software Engineer / Senior Software Engineer to develop the next-generation map fusion and motion planning systems for our autonomous vehicles. In this role, you will bridge the gap between semantic HD maps, real-time sensor perception, and vehicle trajectory generation. You will design scalable software infrastructure, implement advanced geometric and deep learning frameworks, and develop the planning algorithms that enable our vehicles to navigate complex, dynamic environments safely and predictably.

## Responsibilities

- System Architecture: Architect the data flow pipelines and APIs for map fusion, real-time map vectorization, and behavior/motion planning modules.
- Algorithm Deployment: Design and deploy robust software frameworks that integrate offline High-Definition (HD) maps with online perception data to create a unified local environment model.
- Advanced Mapping Networks: Implement and optimize state-of-the-art networks utilizing DETR-style, query-based vector decoding in bird's-eye-view (BEV) for online map element generation.
- Motion Planning & Optimization: Design, implement, and validate core motion planning algorithms, establishing a tight feedback loop between vectorized map features, path generation, and trajectory optimization.
- Model Deployment Pipelines: Own the end-to-end deployment pipeline for deep learning mapping models—from Python-based training and ONNX optimization to highly efficient runtime execution in C++.
- Safety & Anomaly Detection: Develop real-time map anomaly and scene-change detection algorithms to ensure planning system reliability under varying or outdated map conditions.
- Performance Optimization: Optimize system latency, CPU/GPU memory footprint, and multi-threaded execution of safety-critical C++ modules.

## Qualifications

- Education: B.S./M.S. or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- Experience: 3+ years (Software Engineer) / 5+ years (Senior Software Engineer) of experience in autonomous driving, robotics architecture, or spatial computing.
- Software Mastery: Expert proficiency in production-grade C++ (Modern C++14/17/20, multi-threading, memory management) and strong prototyping proficiency in Python.
- Motion Planning Fundamentals: Robust foundational knowledge in path planning (e.g., A*, Dijkstra, Hybrid A*, sampling-based planners like RRT*) and kinematic/dynamic vehicle models.
- Robotics Core: Deep understanding of robotics fundamentals, including coordinate transformations, spatial geometry, and state estimation.
- System Design: Strong system design skills with a solid understanding of middleware (e.g., ROS2, DDS) and distributed software architectures.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Trajectory Optimization: Hands-on experience with numerical trajectory optimization methods (e.g., MPC, QP/Nonlinear optimization, interior-point methods) and optimization solvers (e.g., OSQP, Ipopt, Ceres Solver).
- Advanced Mapping Experience: Hands-on experience working with HD map formats (Lanelet2, OpenDRIVE) and modern end-to-end learning frameworks (e.g., MapTR, VectorNet) that leverage query-based BEV perception.
- Deep Learning Runtime & Deployment: Proven track record of exporting complex deep learning architectures via ONNX and deploying them into real-time C++ production environments using TensorRT.
- Anomaly Detection: Proven track record of developing algorithms for map anomaly detection, sensor-to-map misalignments, or online scene-change identification.
- Safety-Critical Systems: Knowledge of real-time operating systems (RTOS), deterministic software execution, and safety-critical software design principles.

The base salary range for the Software Engineer position is $141,463–$235,182 annually, and for the Senior Software Engineer position is $169,783–$282,264 annually, in addition to bonus, equity, and benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by the role, level, and location. Within the applicable range, individual compensation is based on the work location as well as other factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education and training.

I acknowledge that prior to submitting this application, I have read and accepted the Privacy Notice for California Residents which is available on https://v.didi.cn/AQnxlBa

## About DiDi Labs

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: DiDi Labs is the U.S. research and development arm of DiDi, focused on advancing Level 4 autonomous driving technology through large-scale AI models and real-world ride-hailing data.
- **Entity Type**: Private (subsidiary of DiDi Global Inc., which is not publicly traded)
- **Headquarters**: Mountain View, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2017 (DiDi Labs); parent company Didi Chuxing founded in 2012
- **Founders**: DiDi Labs was launched under the leadership of Cheng Wei (DiDi founder and CEO) and initially led by Dr. Fengmin Gong, Vice President of DiDi Research Institute.

## Core Business
- **Primary Industry**: Autonomous driving (Level 4), artificial intelligence, mobility technology
- **Target Customers**: B2B (integrated into DiDi’s shared-mobility fleet), enterprise partnerships (e.g., automotive OEMs, cities for smart transportation)
- **Mission**: Develop Level 4 autonomous driving technology to make transportation safer and more efficient, and integrate it into a shared-mobility fleet to generate broad social value.

## Products & Services
- **VLA (Vision-Language-Action) Foundation Models**: Large-scale deep learning systems for multi-agent behavior prediction and autonomous vehicle planning, built on DiDi’s massive real-world driving dataset.
- **Behavioral & Motion Planning Systems**: Core decision-making and trajectory optimization algorithms that enable safe, smooth navigation in complex urban environments.
- **AI Research (Computer Vision, NLP, Speech, Mapping)**: Through DiDi AI Labs (China-based but collaborative), the company develops speech interaction, smart mapping, and perception solutions.
- **Autonomous Vehicle Testing & Fleet Operations**: DiDi Autonomous Driving operates test fleets in the United States and China, and runs open-source challenges (e.g., Udacity Self-Driving Car Challenge).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed for DiDi Labs; parent DiDi Global was valued at over $60 billion during its 2021 IPO (now delisted and private).
- **Key Metric**: Total funding for DiDi exceeds $20 billion across multiple rounds (SoftBank, Tencent, etc.). DiDi Labs benefits from parent’s resources.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: DiDi’s investors include SoftBank Vision Fund, Tencent, Uber, Apple, and others. DiDi Labs partners with Udacity, and its team includes security expert Charlie Miller.
- **Growth Signals**: Independent autonomous driving unit established in 2019; active hiring in 2025 for VLA and motion planning roles; integration with DiDi’s massive ride-hailing network (over 500 million users) provides unmatched real-world data.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Massive Real-World Data**: Access to DiDi’s billions of trips across Asia, Latin America, and Australia gives the team proprietary training data for behavior prediction and planning.
- **Integration with Shared Mobility**: Autonomous fleet can be deployed directly into an existing ride-hailing platform, offering a clear go-to-market path.
- **Top Talent & Research**: Deep roster of AI researchers, published in top conferences (NeurIPS, CVPR, ICLR, etc.), and strong collaboration with global research network.
- **Open Innovation**: Hosts open-source challenges and engages with the broader self-driving community.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current Priorities**: Scaling VLA foundation models for multi-agent prediction and planning; deploying Level 4 autonomous vehicles in operational domains; optimizing latency and safety for production deployment.
- **Direction for Growth**: Expanding the autonomous fleet, deepening partnerships with cities, and building the “smart transportation ecosystem” through AI-driven infrastructure.

## Why Work Here
- **Cutting-Edge AI at Scale**: Work on large-scale distributed training (hundreds to thousands of GPUs), transformers, diffusion models, and real-time planning for safety-critical systems.
- **Impact**: Directly contribute to autonomous driving technology that could transform urban mobility and reduce traffic accidents.
- **Compensation & Benefits**: Competitive base salary (e.g., $129k–$247k for ML Engineer, plus bonus, equity, and benefits). Roles in Mountain View with hybrid/office expectations.
- **Culture & Perks**: Collaboration with world-class researchers, access to massive datasets, and a mission-driven environment focused on safety and innovation.
- **Work Model**: Based in Mountain View, CA; roles are likely on-site or hybrid given the hands-on nature of autonomous vehicle development.

## Sources
1. [Job Board - Machine Learning Engineer, VLA](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/didi/jobs/7975368)
2. [Job Board - Software Engineer, Motion & Behavioral Planning](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/didi/jobs/7975371)
3. [PRNewswire - DiDi Launches U.S. Labs in Silicon Valley](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/didi-launches-us-labs-in-silicon-valley-to-build-global-nexus-of-innovation-300420435.html)
4. [Golden - DiDi Labs Company Profile](https://golden.com/wiki/DiDi_Labs-GE84KD8)
5. [DiDi Official - AI Labs Page](https://www.didiglobal.com/science/ailabs)

## Other roles at DiDi Labs

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- [Software Engineer, Motion Planning](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-motion-planning-didi-labs-san-jose-gj5n60m2bt8x) — San Jose, CA
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