Brunswick kicks off ‘roboboat’ project
Boats running Mercury engines may soon be able to take over from the skipper and drive themselvesBrunswick Corp, the owner of brands including Sea Ray, Mercury and Lowrance, has announced it will kickstart a new project to create a new generation of smart boats that help users become good skippers.
The project, part of a newly formed division of Brunswick that will be known as the Boating Intelligence Design Lab, will look at integrating machine learning – artificial intelligence – into its boats that will either be sold to owners or help customers who join a boat-sharing scheme.
It will tease its newest developments at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, the world’s largest electronics trade show, which will run from January 7-10 in Las Vegas, California.
Related content:
“The newly named Boating Intelligence Design Lab (BI DesignLab), under the direction of Jeff Reifsnyder, is refocusing its programs on developing Brunswick’s AI talent and capabilities, as well as supporting Brunswick’s product development teams as they incorporate AI into Brunswick’s next generation of products,” Brunswick said in a statement announcing the initiative.
“BI DesignLab is already supporting the development of Brunswick’s autonomous docking technology but is now also advancing work on AI-powered virtual agents, customised for marine applications, and other applications that will provide smart assistance to people operating their own boats and members of Brunswick’s Freedom Boat Club.”
Brunswick’s strong push into new technology has seen it roll out initiatives such as the Avatopr range of electric outboard motors, its lithium-ion-based Fathom smart electrical systems that aim to replace onboard gensets, and the CZone digital switching system that can balance a boat’s power needs at the press of a touchscreen’s virtual button.
Next phase
Brunswick chief executive Dave Foulkes said the new research division was an opportunity to “embed AI functionality as one focus for our next phase of advanced technology and feature development, creating an opportunity for boats to evolve from an experiential product to an experiential partner”.
Brunswick business acceleration president Brenna Preisser said the new integrated, smart and intelligent technologies would amplify the boating experience.
“We see AI emerging into boating to help augment and simplify many activities and reduce the complexity of operating and navigating a boat. Freedom Boat Club provides a unique platform to develop and exploit these possibilities.”
Brunswick has started using the annual Consumer Electronics Show as a platform for the launch of its latest technologies that may one day roll out into its products.
This has included a lithium-ion battery pack that will one day be used to replace a diesel generator that would normally provide power while a boat is anchored, and an autonomous driving system on a Boston Whaler 405 Conquest, hooked up to its flagship 600hp Mercury V12 Verado outboard engines.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
