Auto-Boats Start-up: Ethics, Social Issues, and Technological Overview

This report examines the ethical and social implications of an auto-boat start-up, focusing on the development of autonomous boats using robotics and computer software for navigation. It begins with an overview of the technology, highlighting its potential impact on the shipping industry and various applications such as racing, security, and cargo transport. The report identifies key stakeholders including spill clean-up companies, military, government, shareholders, employees, cargo companies, and international maritime organizations. It also details intellectual property patents related to hull stabilization, automatic drainage, firefighting capabilities, and boat cleaning apparatus. Opportunities are presented in the form of firefighting boats, boat washing services, and employment opportunities, as well as ocean clean-up programs. Risks include vulnerability to piracy, challenges in long-distance operation, potential accidents, and regulatory barriers. The report concludes by emphasizing the potential for reducing marine accidents and the ongoing efforts to adapt international regulations to allow for fully autonomous vessels.

Running Head: ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES 1
AUTO-BOATS: ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
STUDENT:
INSTITUTION:
DATE:

ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES: 2
Auto-boats technology overview
The start-up involves the development of automatic boats which use robotics. Sensors are fitted
onto boats and are controlled by use of computer software that is capable of autonomous
navigation. The start-up has been spurred with the presence of driverless vehicles. The company
is currently in full autonomy and is expected to be mainstreamed in the shipping industry to fully
eliminate the need for oversight crew. The present position requires oversight by the crew
located at the docks. It makes the boats to be used exclusively for racing, safety and security
missions and cargo over close distances (Vijay, 2013).
Stakeholders
- Spill clean-up companies.
- Military
- The government
- Shareholders
- Employees
- The management
- Cargo companies
- Marine emergency control organizations.
- International maritime organizations.
Intellectual property
i. Patent of on the hull for a self-stabilizing boat will cover the mechanical integrity of the
hull. The boats have longitudinal tunnels that are multi-stage to help in stabilizing the
hull thereby reducing the risks of capsizing.

ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES: 3
ii. Automatic boat drain is the other intellectual property patent the boat will automatically
drain extra water from the boat.
iii. The firefighting boat which is jet-propelled has been developed to safeguard the interests
of investors in the start-up and enhance their trust in the company. The further innovation
has been developed to provide a robotic means of fighting fire incidents which can be
tragic in the computer-controlled boats.
iv. The start-up’s boats have canopy locks installed to keep the canopy secure whether or not
in use.
v. Boat washing method and apparatus has also been developed floating on water to clean
the boats. It is made of up of brushes powered by electricity and attached on either side to
clean up spores and algae attached to boats.
Opportunities
An opportunity is in the firefighting boats which are jet-propelled. Fire accidents of boats while
in the sea have been prevalent and tragic causing people and organizations losses amounting to
millions of dollars and even lives (Nonami, 2008). This area will offer a long-awaited solution to
many.
The boat washing apparatus patented above will be made open to boats of different types.
Cleaning up of boats and ships will help to maintain operational conditions and the durability of
vessels.
Employment to the local community will be the primary social responsibility goal as s start-up.
The company has estimated to employ several thousands of staff in various fields once full
production commences. The fields that will create opportunities will range from management

ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES: 4
staff, programmers, marketers, production, engineers, security staff, programmers, and
maintenance staff.
Ocean clean-up is an area of concern toward every boat manufacturer. The vessels use water and
it is consequently expected that the company will be conducting regular clean-up programs of
close beaches and their docks. The company will also clean the waste products from the
production plant to be a model of pollution control. Activities such as these will capture the
interests of the public and other potential investors (Wolf, 2010).
Risk
Unscrewed boats and ships have more vulnerability to piracy and outright theft by remotely
hacking the vessels' control system. some autonomous vessels like oil tankers will not win public
trust and this means that the boats will be used to transport the cargo of low value and in racing
which does not expose the ship to a lot of financial risks (Zhen, 2004). It is challenging to
operate vessels over long distances. Most marine accidents occur because of groundings and
collisions which are caused by human errors which are expected to decline in unmanned vessels.
The few accidents that may occur will not have a crew to intervene. Accidents caused by fire, for
example, will not have firefighters.
Removal of the crew from a boat means that accidents, which may always occur, will be more
severe. Technological barriers and maritime regulations do not allow unmanned vessels in
international waters and this means that the which means that it will take some time before these
challenges are resolved to allow the project to be fully operational (Cruz, 2008).
Conclusion

ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES: 5
The application of technology in the boat industry has not been exploited and leaves a
tremendous business opportunity in the changing world. Once implemented, the company will
reduce the number of marine accidents by a wide margin of up to 70% (Huntsberger, 2011). The
company has already started receiving pre-contract requests for supply of boats and patent
production requests and design. By the year 2020, the international regulations about the crew
that currently does not allow crewless vessels on international waters. The relevant negotiations
are underway to allow completely autonomous boats and ships to sail which will be a
development on the current limitation to semi-autonomous vessels.
Summary
The report outlines the role of ethics and social issues in the auto-boat start-up company driven
by technology. It starts by highlighting the technology overview that has established this
innovation. The brief highlight is followed by the identification of stakeholders who influence
the start-up either directly or indirectly and then describes the patents accompanying the
innovation as sole intellectual property. The opportunities and risks tied to the innovation are
then given a detailed outline by the report. The conclusion gives a recap of the whole essay with
an emphasis on the vessels regulation international waters.

ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES: 6
References
Cruz, N., 2008. Fast-an autonomous sailing platform for oceanographic missions." OCEANS
2008. IEEE, 2008. New York, IEEE.
Huntsberger, T., 2011. Stereo vision–based navigation for autonomous surface vessels. Journal
of Field Robotics, 28(1), pp. 3-18.
Nonami, K., 2008. Course keeping control of an autonomous boat using low-cost sensors.
Journal of System Design and Dynamics, 2(1), pp. 389-400.
Vijay, K., 2013. Dynamic simulation of autonomous boats for cooperative skimming and
cleanup. Portland, Oregon.
Wolf, M., 2010. 360‐degree visual detection and target tracking on an autonomous surface
vessel. Journal of Field Robotics, 27(6), pp. 819-833.
Zhen, S., 2004. Diffusion boundary determination and zone control via mobile actuator- sensor
networks(MAS-net): challenges and opportunities. SPIE, 5421(1), pp. 1-907.