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Uber launches fleet of mapping cars in Vancouver

FILE PHOTO: Uber Canada is launching an urban mapping program this week. Getty Images / File

VANCOUVER – A popular ride-hailing company wants to get the lay of the land as it gears up to hit the streets of Metro Vancouver by the end of the year.

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Uber Canada is launching an urban mapping program this week.

LISTEN: Uber is sending out cars to map streets in Greater Vancouver and beyond

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Twenty-five vehicles will travel around the region gathering images and data about things like building entrances and traffic patterns.

READ MORE: Businesses tell B.C. government to put the pedal to the metal on Uber

The company says the information will allow it to better match customers with drivers, navigate the quickest routes and come up with more accurate timing estimates.

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Vancouver has long resisted the arrival of Uber, but B.C.’s previous Liberal government said earlier this year it would work to allow ride-hailing services by December.

READ MORE: Regulation for ride-sharing services in B.C. could be an election issue

Uber operates in 632 cities worldwide using a smartphone app that lets people request rides from drivers who use their own vehicles, and automatically charges rates that reflect up-to-the-minute demand in a given area.

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