Pilot seat for remote control (source: Japan Radio)
With self-driving buses and taxis one step closer to practical use, technological development toward the realization of unmanned ships on the sea is becoming active. Japan Radio Co., Ltd., a major manufacturer of information and telecommunications equipment, has developed a navigation management system that comprehensively grasps information from land and remotely controls ships. We are working on demonstration experiments to support the safe operation of ships, such as remote control in emergencies. The console (control panel) that controls the ship remotely from land is like the cockpit of a spaceship that appears in science fiction movies. Remote operation of the ship is performed on the console of the "fleet operation center" installed on land. Two operators, the captain and the chief engineer, are assigned as SF operators, and in the event of a situation where operations cannot be performed on board the ship operating on the sea. In the meantime, the captain will remotely steer the ship from here. Ken Koarai, president of Japan Radio, said proudly, "We can supervise a large number of ships while taking care of what kind of operations should be done on a case-by-case basis."
Dempa Newspaper Press Department, Media Business Headquarters