The passenger ferry, M/S Estelle, will be both more ecological and economic to run, apparently
What is claimed to be the world’s first commercial self-piloting passenger ferry goes into service in Stockholm today, enabled by 5G and IoT from Tele2.
The ferry, M/S Estelle, will be both more ecological and economic to run, according to the operator. The ferry has many IoT sensors and control systems onboard to avoid obstacles and react to changing conditions on the water.
Data from them is continuously sent to the cloud via low-latency, high reliability connectivity provided by 5G.
In operation
M/S Estelle will operate in the quay area below Münchenbryggeriet on Söder Mälarstrand and over to Kungsholmstorg in central Stockholm. The ferry is electric and has a capacity of 200 kWh, which is almost enough for a full day’s operation.
The ferry is also equipped with solar panels to extend the ferry’s range, providing up to half its total energy needs.
At the launch, there will be a crew on the ferry, but the intention is to for it to use automation and remote control to self-pilot.
Future ahoy
Linda Ekener Mägi, Business Developer at Tele2 B2B, said, “With the help of 5G, it is possible to use new services and solutions that were previously not possible, as in this case with new forms of transportation. It is fantastic to be part of an innovative sustainable transportation solution and exciting to see how 5G and IoT combined can revolutionize the way we travel in the future.”
“The next step is to launch ferries in more cities globally and there we hope to continue to cooperate with Tele2 IoT, which has a global connectivity footprint, in the same way as we do here in Stockholm,” says Carl Petersson, Autonomy Engineer at Zeabuz.