Amsterdam's canals are getting 'Roboats': Self-driving vessels will navigate the city's waterways by 2017

Amsterdam is well known for its vast waterway, which has a total of 165 canals, with a combined length of over 62 miles (100km). While boats already regularly operate on the waters, the city is now looking to the future of transportation – self-driving boats. The Amsterdam Institute for Metropolitan Solutions (AMS) has today announced a new five-year research plan, under the name'Roboat', to explore the possibility of autonomous floating vehicles. Amsterdam is well known for its waterway, which has a total of 165 canals, with a combined length of over 62 miles (100 kilometres). While boats do regularly operate on the waters, the city is now looking to the future of transportation – self-driving boats (artist's impression) AMS has collaborated with researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University ad Research to create the Roboats.