Self-Driving Ships: Norway Companies Developing Autonomous Cargo Boats

Self-driving cars are a focus for a lot of tech companies, but in Europe, a group of companies are working to bring self-driving technology to an unexpected area: the ocean. Two companies in Norway are working on an autonomous shipping boat that wouldn't need a human crew. Firms Yara International ASA and Kongsberg Gruppen are developing the Yara Birkeland and want to begin test runs with the boat starting in 2018, according to the Wall Street Journal. According to Kongsberg Gruppen, the ship will have a storage capacity of 100 to 150 twenty-foot equivalent units and will feature batteries as a major power source. The ship will use Lidar, cameras, radars and other physical sensors to power its autonomous functions.