Will Ships Become Autonomous?

Rolls-Royce, a leading company in aviation and maritime industries, plans to develop autonomous ships in collaboration with Intel. The company has announced that it will use Intel processors for the development of these ships. This technology is expected to introduce autonomous ships to the market in the coming years, significantly reducing shipping costs. Rolls-Royce and Intel have established a long-term timeline for the development of an autonomous fleet at sea by 2025, which will be pursued in the UK as well as research centers in Finland and Norway. According to Intel, the design of autonomous ships requires processors capable of processing large volumes of data at high speeds and with necessary security. Intel will develop electronic components and smart navigation, while Rolls-Royce will focus on mechanical components and their compatibility with smart systems. Most of the world's transportation is conducted via seas, and some fear that hacking these autonomous ships could lead to a global transportation crisis. However, senior executives from both companies claim that using autonomous ships will not only reduce costs but also enhance safety and increase efficiency by replacing humans with machines. Beyond cybersecurity concerns, one worry is the production of a processor that can handle high data volumes and utilize a suitable neural unit for AI-based processing. This processor must be able to process various sensor data and high-quality camera images, matching them with information from command centers as well as satellite and radar data. It is estimated that about one terabyte of data will be generated daily for the autonomous navigation of ships. Intel's Xeon processors are set to be used in these autonomous ships, and the fastest storage devices in the world will also be required. The executives believe these ships will significantly reduce human errors, but on the other hand, they may lead to unemployment for many sailors in the coming years. Besides ships, there is also a broad program underway for the automation of trucks and airplanes. According to Reuters, Boeing plans to test some technologies related to the construction of unmanned aircraft in the coming years. Although passenger planes can currently perform part of the flight process using existing cockpit computers, the supervision of the pilot and co-pilot is necessary to take control in case of system errors or emergencies. Mike Sinnett, Boeing's Vice President of Product Development, states, 'While the idea of a pilotless aircraft may seem far-fetched, given that drones costing less than a thousand dollars have entered the market, it can be claimed that the underlying technology for this process is ready.' Ground transportation companies are also seeking to develop autonomous trucks to eliminate driver wage costs. However, a significant risk associated with the automation of transportation is the potential for system hacking.