Smart boats buoy up leisure biz in Hubei

There is no one in the captain's seat, yet it seems as though some invisible hands are skippering the new-age boat; the vessel has no manual towing function, but a press of a button can make it depart, sail, dock and berth — all automatically.

This smart, electric autonomous boat, featuring L4 autonomous driving capabilities, made a stunning debut at the East Lake scenic spot in Wuhan, Hubei province, recently, offering sightseers a brand-new experience.

The boat, costing more than 400,000 yuan ($56,000), can offer a 25-minute ride for up to 10 people on a route specially designed to enjoy the scenery of the lake. On board, they can enjoy tea, play board games and conduct business negotiations.

"The boat is equipped with a range of sensors. During operation, real-time monitoring is maintained throughout, with radar monitoring and auxiliary driving all activated to ensure safety," said Fan Ziyi, who is in charge of the project for the operator at Hubei Jiujiu Culture and Tourism Co Ltd, a firm based in Wuhan.

She said the smart boat is more complicated than other autonomous vehicles because variables like wind and waves can make conditions unpredictable and hence challenging.

Technologies and gadgets like visual sensors, laser radar, millimeter-wave radar, inertial measurement units and Beidou Navigation Satellite System are used to assist the boat in autonomously navigating and avoiding obstacles in complex water scenarios, she said.

"In addition, the boat is equipped with a dedicated dock auxiliary guide rail system and intelligent Bluetooth lock. With precise perception and identification, automatic docking and undocking, locking and unlocking can be achieved, without the need for manual towing," she said.

If the boat gets flooded, the system can automatically start to drain the water, thus preventing sinking. Each such smart boat has a dedicated staff member for emergency response. "There is a panic button to stop the boat immediately," Fan said.

Since July 13, when the first five autonomous boats were put into operation, about 1,500 tourists have experienced rides priced 40 yuan for adults and 30 yuan for children, payable via digital payment tools. A 40-minute chartered ride costs 600 yuan.

"I have heard of self-driving cars, but I never thought there would be self-driving boats. Having gone on a ride, I can now say the smart boat feels very stable, novel and interesting," a tourist surnamed Wu from Shanxi province told news.hbtv.com. "Water entertainment is a major feature of Wuhan. It feels like wherever you go, there are rivers and lakes, and the waters are very clear."

Fan said these advanced and high-tech products can help tourist destinations like East Lake to attract more tourists. "The smart boats use a pure electric system, which is more environmentally friendly compared to fuel-powered boats," she said. "After being charged for two hours, the electric boats can operate for 12 to 14 hours, so it also saves energy."

Wuhan East Lake Culture and Tourism plans to increase the number of automated boats on the lake.