Autonomous boats

[Cormorant]

Here's an interesting article on some of the progress toward autonomous boats, paralleling the development of self-driving cars:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/featu...sail-in-boston

Not that any of us would ever want to give up the helm, but we may be sharing the sea with these robots soon.

[rognvald]

Hi, C,
Interesting article. I visualize two things for the future:
1. that Man, one day, will live in pod with little or no reason
to leave and will work, play, procreate etc. within its confines and
2. that as we lose our humanity and ability to personally deal with
other humans, we will be controlled like ants by a "Queen Bee."
Humanity is changing and people will prefer to experience life vicariously rather than participate and be involved in the moment. Autonomous boats? They are just a tip of the iceberg for what is yet to come. Good luck and safe sailing.

[Nicor]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

Here's an interesting article on some of the progress toward autonomous boats, paralleling the development of self-driving cars:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/featu...sail-in-boston

Not that any of us would ever want to give up the helm, but we may be sharing the sea with these robots soon.

You almost have that now with auto pilots.
Just someone needs to code for collusion avoidance.

[Nicor]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Hi, C,
Interesting article. I visualize two things for the future:
1. that Man, one day, will live in pod with little or no reason
to leave and will work, play, procreate etc. within its confines and
2. that as we lose our humanity and ability to personally deal with
other humans, we will be controlled like ants by a "Queen Bee."
Humanity is changing and people will prefer to experience life vicariously rather than participate and be involved in the moment. Autonomous boats? They are just a tip of the iceberg for what is yet to come. Good luck and safe sailing.

That has been said time n time again, it could very well happen.
Amazon already delivering groceries to your doorstep by drone, just about.

[a64pilot]

We have had for years autonomous aircraft, only thing keeping them out of the Air Space system is they don't have the ability to see and avoid, yet.
The argument that the autonomous aircraft people like to use is that in the 30's you wouldn't get on an elevator without an operator, yet now an elevator operator seems silly.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We have had for years autonomous aircraft, only thing keeping them out of the Air Space system is they don't have the ability to see and avoid, yet.
The argument that the autonomous aircraft people like to use is that in the 30's you wouldn't get on an elevator without an operator, yet now an elevator operator seems silly.

That's true, pilot. But you don't ride an elevator for relaxation, fun, challenge, spiritual renewal or escape from terra firma. Sailing on a boat that runs on an autonomous autopilot would have no appeal to me but, I believe, would certainly appeal to some present and future generations of brain-dead automatons who experience life vicariously from the safety of their captain's pod with no possibility of being intellectually or physically challenged. Is an escape from an intimate connection with visceral life what is now called progress? This is not a statement expressing anti-technology but rather one that expresses the sad realization of the atrophy of those traits and attributes we associate with being human. Good luck and safe sailing.

[a64pilot]

What will happen is the biggest, most expensive boats will be automated first, and the automaton will be so good that it will take an experienced racer to be as good. Very soon people that have it will acknowledge that the boat performs better on automation, so why run it manually? They will think it's the same as an autopilot, who helms their boat anymore in open water?

How many drive cars with manual transmissions anymore? Most want Luxury SUV's that are completely devoid of any real driving experience. It will carry over to sailing, for those that can afford it anyway

[Nicor]

Add a few more bells and whistles to OpenCPN and it could take a sailboat around the world all by it's lonesome.