All posts in “Autonomous Transport”

Rolls-Royce Autonomous Ship Concept

Most of the world’s top carmakers recently confirmed their commitment to making the shift to electric vehicles. Each one promises to come up with advanced innovations to make future transport efficient and safe. Moreover, the majority of these brands will continue to improve the technology that makes autonomous cars better and safer. However, the Rolls-Royce Autonomous Ship concept hints at a bigger application.

Nevertheless, Rolls-Royce is preparing to take the self-driving system from the road to the open sea. Alongside Intel, the luxury carmaker plans to create a fleet of automated ships that will sail with a skeleton crew or none at all.

You’ve probably read about Volvo’s proposed concept, which illustrated a convoy of unmanned trucks that can haul cargo. Each one will be monitored and controlled through a central server manned by human workers. On the other hand, Rolls-Royce wants to apply a similar concept to a flotilla of vessels. Earlier this year, the company took the first step and tested the AI technology on a few ships.

Intel will provide Rolls-Royce 3D NAND SSDs and Xeon CPUs to build a network that will control the fleet. Using an advanced artificial intelligence algorithm, each ship will gather data via an array of sensors. These include the use of satellite data, weather forecasts, LIDAR, Radar, HD cameras, and thermal cameras. Once trials and adjustments are completed, it won’t be long before literal “ghost ships” sail the seven seas.

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Volvo Vera Autonomous Transport Concept

In order to maximize our time for other productive activities, we need to make some changes in the near future. As the market grows, it demands more of our attention so we can focus on what matters the most. Experts from the automotive industry suggested that one way we can free up more time is for computers to take over all the driving. A ground-breaking new driverless tech system called the Volvo Vera will upgrade transport services globally.

The carmaker recently hogged the spotlight with the 360c Concept that hopes to usher a new era of personal transportation. The vehicle sports a modular cabin that can function as an office, leisure lounge, and more. The passenger is free to work, rest, or entertain guests, while the AI system takes over the driving. It seems that Volvo plans to implement the same idea to move large volumes of cargo across the highways.

This futuristic vehicle showcases an interesting design. You will immediately notice that it’s lacking a cabin—to presumably highlight its designation as an autonomous vehicle. The transport is powered by electric motors and projected to handle short-haul routes for the meantime.

A fleet of computer-controlled Volvo Vera vehicles will be connected to a cloud server monitored by a team of trained personnel. Recognized as the market leader in car safety, we can expect cutting-edge failsafe systems to ensure that everything works as intended.

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Photos courtesy of Volvo