Erik Nielsen, in charge of operations at Torgatten, explained that the autonomy of the small boat, which is about ten meters long, is due to different systems.
An electric and fully autonomous boat was launched Thursday in Stockholm, which, according to the creators of this ferry, has become the first city in the world to put a similar type of marine transport into service, according to a team from Agence France-Presse.
“It’s a revolutionary day for everyone,” said Stein-Andre Hergstad-Olsen, CEO of the Norwegian company that undertook the project, Stein-Andre Hergstad-Olsen.
The company confirmed that it is the first in the world in creating a self-driving civilian vehicle, an area in which the Scandinavian countries occupy the forefront.
Starting from Monday, the boat called “MF Estelle”, the first model of which cost about 1.5 million euros, will start moving within short trips of up to a few hundred meters between several islands in central Stockholm.
Currently, the boat has a helmsman on board who supervises it without using the controls.
The boat is expected to become “fully autonomous” at a later date, said Hergstad-Olsen, who expressed his hope for an increase in the number of boats touring in Stockholm and beyond.
Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Erik Nielsen, in charge of operations at Torgatten, explained that the autonomy of the small boat, which is about ten meters long, is due to different systems.
“There is radar + AIS + and additional cameras and ultrasound systems that allow us to detect” obstacles that the boat may encounter, he added.
“This autonomous system acts like a captain,” Hergstad-Olsen noted. “It sees and leads like itself.”
The company confirmed ensuring the safety of the passengers who will board the boat.
“If a boat appears in front of us, we will see it in less than a second and update the course” of the boat, Hergstad-Olsen said.
MF Estel is capable of accommodating a maximum of 30 people, and the ticket price for one-way transportation will be 35 SEK (about $3.23).
The use of boats aims to encourage the population to go to work on foot or by bicycle instead of using cars.
This initiative comes at a time when the field of electric ships such as motorized boats is booming
