Autonomous Cargo Ship

[kthoennes]

I can see it now, I hail the ship on VHF and I just get a disembodied Siri voice...

http://www.realclearlife.com/technology/worlds-first-autonomous-cargo-ship-will-launch-next-year/

"Alexa, the COLREGS say I'm the stand on vessel, please don't chop me up in your propellers!"

"I'm sorry, I don't have anything about gold rugs in my database."

"No, not gold rugs, I said COLREGS, Collision Regulations! You're supposed to -- aiieee #&!@*....glub glub glub...

 

[RT Firefly]

Trawler Forum - View Single Post - Interesting boats

 

[kthoennes]

Thank for that link. Boy that Rolls Royce video on the other thread is - unsettling. I tend to think it's going to be a long, long time before that Gee Whiz Star Wars stuff is reality though. Like all the media attention about trips to Mars in the near future. Cool to think about but it's not going to happen for a few lifetimes yet. We can't even get a zero maintenance toilet on recreational boats yet.

 

[kev_rm]

Automating away most of the people who operate transportation vehicles in the supply chain is not going to take a single lifetime from now, not even half of one.

 

[kthoennes]

Automating away most of the people who operate transportation vehicles in the supply chain is not going to take a single lifetime from now, not even half of one.

I don't know. I took a trip recently. After spending tens of millions of dollars, the airport in Minneapolis can't keep the driverless concourse shuttle running reliably back and forth in a straight line over a few hundred yards. The people mover conveyor belt at the Amsterdam airport was out of order. We got stuck in Rome for an extra day because Delta's computer network crashed. Two of my credit cards didn't work in Rome (even though we registered the travel plan) because security algorithms failed. Four of the elevators failed on the brand new Majestic Princess cruise ship (although otherwise it was a marvel of engineering I'll admit). I live in the Midwest near a forest of million dollar wind turbines. Some of them are always out of order. I work in a courthouse, we can't get reliable vending machines in the jury waiting room. I'm skeptical about the Gee Whiz stuff.

 

[kev_rm]

I don't know. I took a trip recently. After spending tens of millions of dollars, the airport in Minneapolis can't keep the driverless concourse shuttle running reliably back and forth in a straight line over a few hundred yards. The people mover conveyor belt at the Amsterdam airport was out of order. We got stuck in Rome for an extra day because Delta's computer network crashed. Two of my credit cards didn't work in Rome (even though we registered the travel plan) because security algorithms failed. Four of the elevators failed on the brand new Majestic Princess cruise ship (although otherwise it was a marvel of engineering I'll admit). I live in the Midwest near a forest of million dollar wind turbines. Some of them are always out of order. I work in a courthouse, we can't get reliable vending machines in the jury waiting room. I'm skeptical about the Gee Whiz stuff.

None of these examples are really part of the supply chain.

Having been in MSP sixteen times in the last two months with zero failures getting a free ride from a robot within 60 seconds each time, I am not as skeptical. Do I dislike Delta? Yes- but Planes don't keep passengers alive at this scale because the airlines haven't embraced automation. Quite the opposite.

 

[CaptTom]

I like to look at it from a different angle. Currently, cargo ships are so short staffed that they may as well be unmanned anyway. It's entirely possible that having them controlled from a home office shoreside is safer. They're more likely to follow company protocols and procedures, more likely to have gotten enough sleep, and more likely to actually be on duty.

I'd prefer a manned "bridge" with an alert operator, thousands of miles from the ship, over an unmanned bridge or sleeping operator, which I suspect is often the case now.

 

[SaltyDawg86]

I like to look at it from a different angle. Currently, cargo ships are so short staffed that they may as well be unmanned anyway. It's entirely possible that having them controlled from a home office shoreside is safer. They're more likely to follow company protocols and procedures, more likely to have gotten enough sleep, and more likely to actually be on duty.

I'd prefer a manned "bridge" with an alert operator, thousands of miles from the ship, over an unmanned bridge or sleeping operator, which I suspect is often the case now.

How did you reach these conclusions??

 

[psneeld]

Machines have accidents, people have accidents.

The best of both systems have the least.

Which is better?

Jury is still out but machines are pushing the envelope of human replacement.

When and where machines work well usually are here to stay.

 

[Group9]

I can see it now, I hail the ship on VHF and I just get a disembodied Siri voice...

World's First Autonomous Cargo Ship Will Launch Next Year

"Alexa, the COLREGS say I'm the stand on vessel, please don't chop me up in your propellers!"

"I'm sorry, I don't have anything about gold rugs in my database."

"No, not gold rugs, I said COLREGS, Collision Regulations! You're supposed to -- aiieee #&!@*....glub glub glub...

Well, I hope their voice recognition software works better than the one on my phone.

Me: "How about a slow two whistle pass?"

Robot boat: "Roger. Executing a high speed collision course as requested."

 

[rwidman]

Many of the sailboats I've met in my travels appear to be unmanned.

 

[Portage_Bay]

Thank for that link. Boy that Rolls Royce video on the other thread is - unsettling. I tend to think it's going to be a long, long time before that Gee Whiz Star Wars stuff is reality though. Like all the media attention about trips to Mars in the near future. Cool to think about but it's not going to happen for a few lifetimes yet. We can't even get a zero maintenance toilet on recreational boats yet.

It's coming faster than you think. It won't be lifetimes, it will be much sooner than that. I don't like it one little bit, but it's coming soon.

Oh, and that Rolls Royce video? That's just glitzy marketing nonsense. The actual autonomous ships going into service and their shore side "pilots" will be much different. The bit about the engineer diagnosing the ailing drive motor near the end is particularly humorous.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Personally I think you'll have a better chance of seeing Santa Claus than seeing an unmanned cargo ship sailing at sea. Undermanned, yes, do they have the technology, yes. In these days of strict regulatory compliance , I don't see it.