Method and apparatus for improved location decisions based on surroundings

A method comprising:

• receiving, imaging of an environment surrounding a user, captured by a user device;
• converting the imaging to a three-dimensional point cloud on the user device;
• removing, via the user device, objects identifiable as temporary objects;
• converting the point cloud to a voxel map, on the user device, to identify a key feature of an object remaining after removal of temporary objects;
• identifying, via the user device, an estimated user location relative to the key feature based on an estimated distance to the key feature determined from the imaging;
• hashing the key feature, via the user device;
• sending the hashed key feature and the estimated user location relative to the key feature from the user device to a server;
• comparing, at the server, the key features to a database of key features, elements of the database being used for comparison selected based on a GPS location of the user;
• identifying a correlation between the hashed key feature and an element of the database;
• identifying an actual user location relative to a location of the element, based on the estimated user location relative to the key feature that correlates to the element;
• generating a digital representation of the actual user location relative to the object;
• and
• conveying the digital representation to a vehicle requested by the user.