With a canal network spanning over 100 kilometers, Amsterdam has just unveiled a fully electric, autonomous boat. Designed to operate as a water taxi, the vessel can transport up to five people at a time.
Named Roboat, the vehicle can operate uninterrupted for 10 hours without a pilot on board. Charging is done wirelessly, via proximity and without human intervention. Other integrated technologies include sensors and 360-degree cameras powered by artificial intelligence.
The sensor array allows the water taxi to autonomously plot a safe route between two points. Its technology also continuously scans the environment to avoid collisions with obstacles such as bridges, pillars, and other boats.
According to MIT, navigating the busy waters of Amsterdam required the meticulous development of dedicated navigation, perception, and control software.
Roboat is the result of over five years of research and testing conducted by the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in partnership with the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions.
In addition to passenger transport, the design team created a universal “hull” to be multifunctional – it can be used for waste collection, goods delivery, and cargo transport. “While traditional boats have custom hulls designed for specific purposes, Roboat features a design where the base remains the same, but the top decks can be swapped out depending on the use case,” MIT explains. Consequently, the vehicle can adapt to the diverse logistical needs of the city, which was built below sea level.
However, the vessel is not yet authorized to carry passengers, so initial trials will focus on transporting solid waste.
Via CicloVivo.
This article was written by Marcia Sousa. The translation is powered by AI.
