Volvo Penta’s first-gen docking system will help skippers, not replace them

Volvo Penta has already flagged it plans to roll out the next stage of its self-docking technology as early as next year, but rather than jump headlong into crafting robotic boats that park themselves, it said it would take a “first step” in its development.

That first step will help skippers feel their way into tight spots – similar, Volvo Penta says, to the way a reversing camera helps a car back into a parking bay – with technology designed to automatically avoid running into obstacles sidelined for a later rollout.

>> Volvo Penta unveils self-docking system

“It’s been almost a year since Volvo Penta unveiled its ingenious feat of engineering – the self-docking concept,” the company said in a statement released over the weekend.

“The feat drew the attention of avid boaters, marine industry stakeholders and a huge social media audience – and sparked some big conversations,” Volvo Penta electronics product manager Anders Thorin said.

“The self-docking demo gave us an opportunity to engage with a wide array of stakeholders,” Thorin said.

“Reflecting on their input strengthened our convictions that there is a big interest in functions that assist boaters, not only fully automated docking but also driver assistance for all kinds of situations.”

“Boaters want technology that can assist in tricky maneuvers and help hold boats still in the water without the need to manually compensate for movement of wind and current.

“A feature like this would help boaters move through crowded or narrow paths, and pass locks or prepare to dock.”

However, rather than deliver the technology in a single hit, Volvo Penta said it would start with an “assist phase” that would introduce a limited number of new parts and rely mainly on software tweaks to help existing systems integrate better.

“This software will utilise the functions of Volvo Penta’s unique Inboard Performance System (IPS) joystick and Dynamic Positioning System to make an assisted docking/maneuvering functionality,” Thorin said.

“It will also be possible to combine new functionality with camera surround view functionality to give boaters a better view – and leads the development into the second step – the avoiding phase.”

The company has teased a key part of the skipper assist system will be its Dynamic Positioning System, which can hold a boat at station on a GPS mark and heading.

“It’s now being refined so that it can be used in very close-quarter maneuvering,” Volvo Penta said.

“The new approach will help the driver by integrating it more effectively with the joystick functionality so that the boat will move in the exact direction and heading required, stop, and hold position when not moving the joystick.

“This effectively eliminates the challenges of the boat drifting and being difficult to get to move in a straight line.”

Volvo Penta said the new system would tap into cameras mounted around the boat, providing a top-down view of the boat and the water around it in the Glass Cockpit display.

“This highly effective way of working to introduce new technology draws on the idea of leveraging existing technology and refining it to create an even more useful ‘easy-boating’ service for the customer,” Volvo Penta said.

“With the stepwise approach, Volvo Penta is among the first to be developing this maneuver-assist-and-avoid technology and remains a pioneer of Easy Boating and docking functionality.”

Volvo Penta's system, first shown in concept form at last year's stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race in Sweden, used a series of sensors mounted around a dock to locate the boat on the water.

In contrast, Raymarine is developing a low-speed marine collision avoidance system using onboard sensors to create a map of the boat's environment.