Autonomous navigation is becoming a cornerstone of the global shipping industry’s digital transformation, and BOTIX INC (BOTIX) is at the forefront of this revolution. The company has developed a full-stack technical solution for intelligent navigation, integrating ship-shore-cloud collaboration based on its “AI + Ships” approach. This solution covers a comprehensive range of intelligent navigation systems, from navigation assistance to end-to-end autonomous navigation, catering to various ship types and scenarios.
In an exclusive interview with iMarine, Mr. Huang Liming, Chief Technology Officer of BOTIX, shared insights into the company’s strategic vision and development in autonomous ship navigation. Mr. Huang, with 20 years of experience in land-based autonomous driving technologies, identified the significant opportunities for intelligentization in the maritime sector. He noted that while AI technology has driven the automotive industry towards intelligentization, the maritime sector lacks mature autonomous navigation systems, creating an urgent demand for intelligent upgrades.
BOTIX aims to bridge this gap by leveraging mature technologies and industrial practices from land-based autonomous driving and applying them to the maritime sector. The company has already made substantial technological advancements, including the development of the “Jingzhe” test ship, which promotes the iterative development of autonomous navigation technology for ships.
However, autonomous navigation on land and water is not a simple replication. Ships are maneuvered by propellers and rudders, making their motion models different from automobiles. Additionally, ships are highly susceptible to wind and water currents, making modeling and precision control more challenging. BOTIX is tackling these challenges head-on, focusing on the design and engineering implementation of various algorithm modules.
BOTIX’s vision is to become the world’s leading supplier of autonomous navigation technology for ships. The company is deeply engaged in the research and innovation of navigation technology, focusing on two major product directions: ocean-going ship assisted navigation and inland waterway autonomous navigation. In the field of ocean-going ship assisted navigation, BOTIX has launched “Lookout Guard,” a warning product based on multimodal perception, which is about to enter the market-scale promotion stage. This system provides assisted lookout and collision risk early warning, integrating shipping big data and incorporating intelligent decision-making and route optimization functionalities.
In the field of inland waterway autonomous navigation, BOTIX’s self-developed autonomous navigation system has obtained certification from the China Classification Society (CCS), becoming the first domestic product to pass principle review and prototype validation. The system has achieved Level 3 (L3) supervised autonomous navigation, reducing the required crew size and delivering energy savings. The company is working towards an integrated “ship-shore-cloud” intelligent shipping solution, aiming to achieve Level 4 autonomous driving technology.
To support its product ecosystem, BOTIX has built five core technological barriers, including a comprehensive ship-shore-cloud integrated collaborative technology architecture, a multimodal perception large model, a long-range, high-resolution 4D millimeter-wave radar, intelligent decision-making and multi-target path planning algorithms, and an intelligent navigation toolchain.
Mr. Huang Liming emphasized that safety and cost-effectiveness are the core attributes of ships as productive tools. BOTIX’s product development revolves around these principles, establishing a comprehensive safety redundancy system and demonstrating clear commercial value. The company’s technical solutions have shown significant operational cost reductions, making autonomous navigation a viable and attractive option for the shipping industry.
As the maritime industry continues to evolve, BOTIX’s innovative approach to autonomous navigation is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global shipping. The company’s commitment to safety, cost-effectiveness, and technological excellence positions it as a key player in the digital transformation of the maritime sector.