This story was delivered to BI Intelligence IoT Briefing subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please click here.

Uber is ramping up its efforts to build out maps for its self-driving cars once they hit the roads, recently moving to map Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia, reports TechCrunch.

Detailed mapping is critical to autonomous cars’ ability to understand and react to their surroundings, so that they can take the fastest and most efficient route without intervention, and this expansion of its mapping data points to Uber’s broader advantage in the space moving forward.

In a blog post, Uber argued that information like “traffic patterns and exact pick-up and drop-off locations” would help the company improve its service. It will gather this data through its mapping cars, which are already on the roads in many other parts of the world. These vehicles are equipped with cameras and sensors to help capture 3D data and usage patterns on the roads, which it can then integrate into its fleet through tactics such as vehicle data sharing.

This move is part of Uber's larger ambition to build its own maps and mapping data that its autonomous vehicles could ultimately use. The ride-hailing company is in the process of trying to wean itself off of dependence on Google Maps, and it's already made significant moves to accomplish this:

Hired two former Google Maps executives. The company brought on both Manik Gupta and Brian McLendon two years ago. Gupta, who will speak on cars as a service at Mobile World Congress, now serves as Uber’s Director of Products for Maps, while McLendon is VP of Advanced Technologies.

Purchased mapping startup deCarta in 2015. The company specialized in providing location APIs, in-map searches, and turn-by-turn navigational systems.

Acquired employees and other assets from Microsoft Bing that specialize in image and data collection. These data-collected engineers were absorbed right into Uber’s new mapping division.

Proprietary mapping data will be a major advantage for Uber in the autonomous car market once it deploys vehicles. As BI Intelligence argued earlier this year, Uber’s strength in the emerging autonomous shared mobility market is its large network of vehicles. This will help the ride-hailing service gather as much mapping and other data as possible, which self-driving cars could use to determine the quickest and most efficient way from point A to point B without the need for intervention. This proprietary mapping data could be appealing to automakers that are seeking to work with Uber. For instance, Mercedes-Benz, which recently announced it would deploy its autonomous vehicles through Uber’s fleet, may have been attracted to the company because of its large vehicle network and these mapping resources.

Over the past year, there has been a significant uptick in the number of connected cars on the road. And as internet integration becomes more commonplace, the automobile as we know it will transform.

Over the next five to 10 years, this internet integration is expected to change the car ownership model, create a new platform for consumers to access content, lead to fully autonomous vehicles, and revolutionize the auto industry.

The market position of the car today is similar to where the smartphone was in 2010 — it's just taken off and is ready to explode.

BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on the transformation of the automobile that examines the transformation of the automobile. It also analyzes all areas of the changing automotive market, including the market size for connected cars, automakers benefits and connection strategies, market leaders, consumer demand, and more.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

Over 380 million connected cars will be on the road by 2021. The market has seen a significant increase in automakers plans to connect the majority of the vehicles they sell and as a result, we've increased our 2015 forecast.

Automakers are connecting the vehicles they sell because the connection offers clear business opportunities.

Consumers are adopting the connected car faster than expected. We identify the 3 factors that causing the increase in demand.

Tech companies will play a major role in the future of the automotive market. The big question is whether tech companies will eventually manufacture cars?

Fully autonomous cars are only a few years away. Technological, regulatory, and consumer adoption hurdles still remain, but there have been many strides towards a car that can drive itself from point A to point B with little to no human interaction.

In full, the report:

Forecasts connected car shipments

Identifies automakers strategy for connection

Analyzes consumer interest in the connected car

Examines Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Discusses the potential changing car ownership model

Describes the evolution of the self-driving car

Identifies top connected car and fully autonomous car barriers

To get your copy of this invaluable guide, choose one of these options:

START A MEMBERSHIP Subscribe to an ALL-ACCESS Membership with BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report AND over 100 other expertly researched deep-dive reports, subscriptions to all of our daily newsletters, and much more. >> Purchase the report and download it immediately from our research store. >> BUY THE REPORT

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of connected cars.