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Friday, September 12, 2014

Self driving ships



There's a lot of press about self driving cars. Considering Google's involvement it's probably unavoidable. Anything Google does is news.

Self driving ships doesn't get much press, but they have to the potential to take over the sea lanes. Just like self driving cars, safety is one of the issues. 75% of all ship accidents are human caused. No doubt the insurance industries will be supporting the robot ships.

The ships can travel at a slow speed, saving fuel. No need for crews to endure long boring voyages. No need to feed and take care of them either. Space now used for crew can be used to carry cargo instead.

What could go wrong?

Computer glitches. CME's messing up satellite navigation. Pirates boarding unmanned ships. Hackers rerouting ships to new destinations. Ships rigged as giant remote bombs. No more assistance to mariners in trouble at sea. (I'm barely trying here . . . )

In spite of all potential problems, the shipping industry will want to make it happen. The financial savings are too great to ignore.

Personally, I have this image of robot ships churning through polluted seas of oil spills, plastic waste, and dead marine life. Self driving ships have no conscience.

-Sixbears
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12 comments:

  1. The Flying TortoiseSeptember 12, 2014 at 4:49 AM

    Robotic shipping is not a future I care to contemplate.
    More people put out of work because of man's greed and their worship of money...

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2014 at 5:43 AM

    I think quite a few remote controlled train engines are already in use. No place for an engine to go, so its understandable. They are designed if a glitch occurs, the train comes to a stop.

    A remote controlled ship - hmmmm. I'd have to study on that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andolphus GreySeptember 12, 2014 at 7:57 AM

      Ships don't run on rails. I can imagine them running over whales and small boats.

      Delete
  3. MayberrySeptember 12, 2014 at 11:21 AM

    Don't know how they'll get around the requirement for harbor pilots to come aboard. Robot ships, restricted maneuvering in narrow channels, congested harbors... What could go wrong? Heh... Hell even the Starship Enterprise had a crew, ha ha!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andolphus GreySeptember 13, 2014 at 11:35 AM

      I wonder if they plan to have crews just for the harbors? Yeah, what could go wrong?

      Delete
  4. Dizzy-DickSeptember 12, 2014 at 4:00 PM

    Maybe someday there will be no need for people. . . and then the machines will eradicate all living creatures.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2014 at 7:45 PM

    self driving cars would have to learn how to survive the rush hour on the freeway

    self driving sailing vessels would go nuts in most conjested harbars for nearly the same reasons

    thats why lawyers will still be in demand

    Wildflower

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andolphus GreySeptember 13, 2014 at 11:37 AM

      Who do you sue? The owner of the boat or the computer programmer?

      Delete
  6. Samuel GonzalezSeptember 12, 2014 at 10:34 PM

    Hello

    My name is Sam Gonzalez and my blog is called The Last Tradition
    http://thelasttradition.blogspot.com/

    I’m a conservative and I think our blogs have a similar theme.

    Check out my blog and if you like what you see I would very much like to be added to your Blog Roll.

    If you agree please write back with your URL and I gladly add you to my
    Blog Roll.

    Thanks for your time.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Andolphus GreySeptember 13, 2014 at 11:39 AM

    Ouch! The thing is, we don't normally put brainless people in charge of supertankers . . . normally. There was the Exxon Valdez . . .

    ReplyDelete

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