SELF-DRIVING BOATS? THEY’RE ALREADY HERE

Artificial Intelligence seems like a scary future technology, but it’s already here on the water, in an application that may usher in self-driving boats. A company called Buffalo Automation recently tested its self-driving Greycraft boat as a water taxi on the Tennessee River in Knovxille, Tennessee.

Before you imagine in your head some sort of George Jetson craft on the water, the Greycraft as currently constructed looks like a floating patio with a battery bank. It’s basically a solar-powered pontoon that uses AI technology to navigate between stops without the aid of a captain. A company spokesperson noted that Buffalo’s technologies focused on functionality (making sure it actually worked) rather than form, which will come later.

For now, the company is focused on using its technology for driverless transport, which users can hail through a phone app (called Mayday) to book a ride as they would with Uber or Lyft. But as the technology and design progress, the company envisions private owners using it for leisure as well. For more information, check out buffautomation.com.