DNV and partners launch autonomous technology project

The project will work on improving and assessing the safety and efficiency of autonomous navigation systems and deploy a pilot on an operational ferry, the Bastø VI.

The partners believe that the technologies that support object detection and collision avoidance have the potential to enhance safety and efficiency across the whole industry. For these technologies to be widely adopted, the systems need to be developed and processes that assure their safe function must be in place. The SAFEMATE project is designed to cover this need and will test automated systems to assist navigation, while keeping an operator in the loop.

The SAFEMATE project will focus on routing and collision avoidance, to create a system that is able to detect threats and obstacles in the marine environment, interpret this information, and communicate a solution to an on-board operator. The system will be tested though the use of simulators and with human operators in the loop and then will be deployed in full-scale trials on the Bastø VI, the Bastø Fosen ferry which operates between Moss and Horten.

“For DNV, our focus is on building trust in complex software-controlled systems through testing and verification,” said Pierre Sames, Group Research and Development Director at DNV. “Modern vessels are already complex automated systems, but building in autonomous decision support capability, increases this complexity immensely. This is why it’s vital to develop a framework comprising processes and tools that can assess the safety performance of these systems both in the design stage and throughout operations. As these systems include machine learning modules, they require a new approach to safety assessment and verification.”

Børre Flaglien, Director of Bridge Systems at Kongsberg Maritime, said KONGSBERG will build on its strong position in autonomy enabled technology and provide automated advisory to manned vessels. “Our Bridge Control System will double as a digital crew member, warning of dangerous situations (including collisions) and advise on a preferred deviation manoeuvre.”

SAFEMATE has been partially funded by the Research Counsel of Norway (RCN) through the MAROFF-2 program.