Self-driving ferries could be coming to the Thames soon
(Picture: milliAmpere handout)Move over, self-driving cars and trains: autonomous ferries might soon be ferrying passengers across rivers in the world’s big cities, including London’s Thames.
An autonomous Norwegian ferry, the milliAmpere 2, is now shuttling passengers across the water in central Norway’s Trondheim, 500 miles north of Oslo, until mid-October, according to Norwegian SciTech News.
The trial marks the first time an electric, self-driving ferry has been put into operation in a city’s waterways.
Members of the public can try out the new technology as researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) observe their experiences, with a view to commercialise the ferry in the near future via spinoff company Zeabuz.
The passenger ferry can hold up to 20 people, but will be limited to 12 during the trial. Sensors such as rangefinders, cameras, laser vision and radar are mounted on deck, while a land-based operator stands ready to assist the boat in case of emergencies.
“This is the first step towards a new form of micromobility in cities with urban waterways,” said Morten Breivik, an associate professor at NTNU’s Department of Engineering Cybernetics.
The technology is likely to be helpful in reducing congestion in cities that are cut or criss-crossed by waterways, such as London, Paris, and Istanbul.
In fact, France was reportedly among the several countries that expressed interest in acquiring the ferries, with a view to use them on the Seine during the 2024 Olympics, when the city is expecting a surge in visitors.
Norway’s neighbour Sweden, on the other hand, has already made the jump. In summer 2023, Zeabuz and Norwegian ferry company Torghatten will launch a self-propelled ferry on the waterways of Stockholm, running between the hip Södermalm and residential Kungsholmen neighbourhoods.
However, running a self-driving ferry in a busy river like the Thames could prove much more challenging. While it is no longer the busy waterway of commerce it once was during Britain’s heyday, the UK’s longest river still sees considerable traffic, as well as sizable tides and occasional large swings in water levels.
Ferries run by Uber and other companies already navigate the river, but these tend to run relatively faster and over longer distances than the milliAmpere which, with its compact size, seems to be more adept at providing cross-the-river services.
Should the milliAmpere 2 land in London, it could prove to be a welcome respite from the city’s congested bridges and offer both tourists and residents a new way to get around town, although manned boats already offer crossings.
