| | | | | | | | | | Item 10.
COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM | | | |
| | | | | | | | | TO: | Sustainability and Resiliency Committee |
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| FROM:
| Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
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| | DATE: | October 30, 2017
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| | SUBJECT: | DISCUSSION TO OFFER MIAMI BEACH AS A PILOT CITY FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY’S ROBOAT PROJECT, WHICH SEEKS TO DESIGN AND DEPLOY A FLEET OF AUTONOMOUS BOATS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS AND PEOPLE, THE CREATION OF TEMPORARY INFRASTRUCTURES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING. |
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| | | | | | | | RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT:
Transportation |
| | | | | | | | LEGISLATIVE TRACKING:
Item C4AA - July 26, 2017 Commission Meeting |
| | | | | | | | SPONSORED:
Commissioner Kristen Rosen-Gonzalez |
| | | | | | | | BACKGROUND:
At the July 26, 2017 meeting of the Miami Beach City Commission, Transportation Staff was requested to research a collaboration between MIT and other universities, researching the use of autonomous boats and offer Miami Beach as a pilot city.
In 2016, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) entered into an agreement with the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS). Based in Amsterdam, the AMS Institute brings together a consortium of public and private partners to tackle complex urban challenges such as water, energy, waste, food, data, and mobility. Additionally, MIT joined with two research institutions in the Netherlands — the Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University and Research Center — as the core academic partners who will use the City of Amsterdam as a living laboratory and test bed.
The collaboration’s flagship project, led by researchers from multiple departments at MIT, is working to develop a fleet of autonomous boats for the Amsterdam’s canals. |
| | | | | | | | Analysis
As self-driving cars hit the road, autonomous boats are entering Amsterdam’s canals. The ‘roboat’ project — research collaboration between MIT and AMS — seeks to design and test the world's first fleet of autonomous boats in the city of Amsterdam. Each water-based unit (a ‘roboat’) can be used for transporting goods and people and for creating temporary floating infrastructures, such as self-assembling bridges and concert stages. Roboats can also monitor the city's waters using new environmental sensors that provide vital insights on urban and human health. With over 1,000 kilometers of canals, 1,500 bridges and a long-standing focus on urban innovation, the city of Amsterdam is an ideal place to test new, water-based mobility solutions. Roboat’s findings will provide insights for many coastal cities; they will also contribute to the growing field of autonomous mobility, as it moves from roads to waterways.
While technology has advanced, but automated shipping laws and regulations have not been updated for many years. Current safety regulations require a licensed, experienced master at the bridge familiar with existing technology to be able to assess the vessel’s immediate situation and approaching navigational hazards. As an example, the 1948 Multilateral Safety of Life and Sea Treaty requires all vessels to be manned. Additionally, Rule Five of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (1972) states that a proper look-out shall be maintained by sight and hearing by all vessels at all times. A determination of how to address the advancement of automated technology is being studied by governments all over the globe.
Worldwide, federal governments are researching autonomous vehicle applications. The U.S. Coast Guard is in a multiyear project to develop a system of multiple autonomous vessels coordinated together to perform several of Coast Guard’s missions. The government of Norway and its maritime agencies have established the first autonomous designated test area in the world, focused on remotely operated vessels. |
| | | | | | | | UPDATE:
UPDATED 10/30/17
After communication with MIT, and given the exploratory nature of the technology and lack of regulatory framework, no further steps are recommended at this time. MIT is aware of the City of Miami Beach's possible interest in participating in any future expansion of the pilot project Staff will report back if there are any changes to these findings.
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION:
The above information is being presented to the Sustainability and Resiliency Committee for discussion and input. | | |
| ATTACHMENTS: | | Description | Type | | No Attachments Available |
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