We use the paper, Observation and Assessment of Crossing Situations Between Pleasure Craft and a Small Passenger Ferry, in order to frame our discussion.

Topics:

• The small ferry referenced in the paper and the plans to replace it with an automated craft.
• Why commercial vessels get priority in the water.
• Incorporating human factors into the study of boats.
• What you lose by automating this particular ferry.
• Strategizing the right of way in the water.
• Interpreting Norwegian navigation rules.
• Why replacing the captain with an autonomous system could prove disastrous. 

Quotes:

“So, the rationale for a lot of the waterway rules, is about what different vessels are capable of.”

“Even if the automation can solve for the navigation, can it actually solve for the rest of the system properties, as well?”

“...When I look at a system like this, that we’ve explained, in a dynamic environment...I’m just not sure if it’s a system that you could automate.”

Resources:

Observation and Assessment of Crossing Situations Between Pleasure Craft and a Small Passenger Ferry

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