Amsterdam testing autonomous boats on its famous canal system
Currently, Amsterdam is testing autonomous boats that run electric power on the many canals running through the city. Amsterdam has more than 60 miles of waterways that host all types of ships and watercraft. The Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute) and MIT are collaborating on the Roboat project to develop new ways of navigating waterways without a human controlling the craft.
Officials in Amsterdam say the technology is very relevant and highly complex port operations where there are many vessels and ships and a lot of quays and peers. Stephan van Dijk says the technology can improve safety using autonomous systems and make it more efficient with a 24/7 operation approach.
A recent demonstration used a 13-foot-long electric boat.