This invention is related to a computer–implemented method that enables the data to be clustered without being required to perform any distance calculations among the points of the dataset, and comprises the steps of assigning the points of a dataset to the cells of a cellular automaton; assigning each cell, to which a data point is assigned, to a distinct state value and a constant temperature value; and assigning all of the cells, to which a data point is not assigned, to a unique state value different from the state values utilized for cells that contain a data point and to a temperature value lower than the said constant temperature value; selecting a cell in the cellular automaton randomly; calculating the average temperature value of the selected cell and its neighbor cells; setting the temperature of the cells, which do not contain a data point, as the average temperature; if a neighbor cell temperature is above the predetermined threshold value, moving this neighbor cell to the state of the selected cell; terminating the process if the number of distinct states has fallen (is equal) to the number of clusters used to group the dataset; otherwise, going back to the step "selecting a cell in the cellular automaton randomly".