
Cities might have a monopoly on driverless cars but Amsterdam has driverless ships
The idea of self-driving cars cruising our roads may not be a new idea, but a plan to release autonomous boats into the canals of Amsterdam would be the first of its kind. The Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute) is collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the first research program into the new technology. Called “Roboats,” the autonomous ships would be designed to transport goods and people, as well as forming temporary, floating infrastructure.
As the roboats cruise through the canals, the project will gather data on how urban waterways can be used to improve the city’s function and the quality of life of residents. They’ll be equipped with sensors that allow the boats to detect pollution and disease in the water, and could eventually be used to protect the environment. They could also be used to retrieve waste thrown in the water which in Amsterdam is no small problem – for example, over 12,000 discarded bicycles end up in the canals every year.