Security? What happens if those with the knowledge to over-ride the remote control get aboard? Hijack for ransom? Use a tanker as an anti-environment weapon or worse? ...
Barry M
This would be easier to do with conventional ships.
Those who wanted to do it would be very sophisticated. The real issue today is pirates from poor nations who are not sophisticated.
An unmanned vessel would not need decks or railings or grapling hook friendly superstucture. The control systems and bridge could be sealed in an armoured box, that would only need to be opened for maintenance or if a pilot is required.
Like autonomous cars, I think this is a feasible future. People say they don't want to give up control, but people also want to use mobile devices and to other things when they drive. Imagine a long journey, where you can just sit back and watch a movie, in your own wheeled box.
There will always be arguements about what happens if the system fails, you have fail safes. Even if the fail safes fail, it will still be safer than human error.
One of the issues with speeding is that often people do not want to be the slow driver, and yet this is what happens in traffic. When we are all the slow driver we don't care as much. When were are cut up or harrassed by other drivers we can react and the potential for errors increases. With automated systems you illiminate selfish drivers and the reactions they can cause.
Yes there will be issues with implementing any automated system, some of these are man-machine issues, but they are not insumountable. Think of all the things we already do that are automated.
