MIT / AMS Institute
We may not have self-driving cars quite yet, but autonomous boats are becoming more widespread. The Netherlands has trialed electric and fully autonomous Roboats for passenger transportation and waste collection in its canals. Developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, these self-driving boats can also be connected to create floating docks and bridges. Scroll through the gallery to see more pioneering autonomous boats.
IBM
Fitted with six AI-powered cameras and 30 onboard sensors, the Mayflower 400, an autonomous research vessel designed to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the original Mayflower voyage, sailed from Plymouth, UK, across the Atlantic Ocean to arrive in Massachusetts, US, in 2022.
Dubai RTA
In the UAE, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has conducted trials of an autonomous Abra ferry, a wooden boat with a capacity of eight passengers. It's part of efforts to make a quarter of journeys in Dubai self-driving by 2030.
HD Hyundai
HD Hyundai says its Prism Courage was the first large ship to cross the Pacific Ocean autonomously. In 2022, the 134,000-ton commercial tanker traveled from the Gulf of Mexico through the Panama Canal to South Korea's western Chungcheong Province in 33 days.
Knut Brevik Andersen
The Yara Birkeland has been described as the world's first zero-emission, autonomous cargo ship. The ship traveled from Horten to Oslo in Norway in 2021 and there are plans for it to be regularly operating without a crew in the next few years.
Courtesy Zeabuz
An autonomous electric ferry called Zeabuz is being trialed in Trondheim, Norway. It can carry 12 passengers, as well as bicycles, and charges whilst docked. There are also plans for the ferry to operate in Stockholm, Sweden.
SEA-KIT International
In the UK, SEA-KIT International has developed the USV Maxlimer -- a semi-autonomous, remotely controlled uncrewed surface vessel (USV). SEA-KIT's vessels are designed to be used in the commercial, defense and luxury sectors, and are already being used for mapping and surveying.
Sea Machines
In 2021 Sea Machines Robotics said it completed the world's first journey of more than 1,000 nautical miles with an autonomous and remotely commanded tug boat, circumnavigating Denmark with a vessel named "Nellie Bly."
CNN  — 

Fully self-driving cars have been promised for years, but despite numerous road trials and advances in technology, we’re still waiting.

In 2016, Lyft predicted that most of its rides would be self-driving by 2021, while in 2017, General Motors said it would be mass producing fully autonomous vehicles even sooner. But creating a car able to handle every eventuality that can arise on every road is proving harder than anticipated.

On the water, the situation is a little different: with fewer vehicles in canals, rivers, and on the open water than on roads, and without the problem of wayward pedestrians, autonomous boats have fewer obstacles to contend with. Additionally, boats often follow set routes – for example shipping routes and ferry crossings – so navigation is easier than with an autonomous car.

There are already a number of self-driving boats operating on our waterways. Powered by advanced artificial intelligence and sensor systems, these boats navigate, avoid obstacles and adapt to changing conditions in real-time.

From cargo transportation to search and rescue missions, and passenger ferries to tugboats, they can be programmed to carry out complex tasks, such as monitoring water quality, collecting oceanographic data, or even assisting in offshore construction projects.

Autonomous and electric

In the canals of the Netherlands, electric and fully autonomous Roboats have been trialed for transportation and waste collection. These self-driving boats developed by MIT and funded by the City of Amsterdam can even be combined to form floating infrastructure like docks and bridges. The company behind them now hopes to build an autonomous ferry that will operate during the Paris Olympic games in 2024.

In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has trialed an autonomous Abra ferry – a wooden vessel that can carry eight passengers – while in Norway, the Yara Birkeland is described by its creators, chemical company Yara International, as the world’s first fully electric autonomous cargo ship, and is intended to promote more environmentally friendly freight movement.

Advocates say that with reduced human error, autonomous boats promise to enhance safety and minimize accidents, while optimizing fuel consumption and reducing carbon emissions.

Now that we can be driverless on the water, how long before we’re autonomous on land too?

Scroll through the gallery above to discover some of the world’s pioneering self-driving boats.