Gaby
The idea for creating this autonomous vehicle belonged to an international consortium that included companies Roboat, Holland Shipyards Group, and Sequana Développement. The initiator of the 3D printing of the ferry was the French waterways management authority Voies Navigables de France.
The project won a national competition for autonomous passenger vessels. In just a few months, the ferry will be built, tested, and ready for river voyages on the Seine. However, it will be presented to the public closer to the summer of 2024. This will take place at a key location of the Olympics, in close proximity to major sporting events. The consortium reported that the ferry’s route will connect the Olympic Village with the island of L’Île-Saint-Denis.
The structure measuring 9 x 3.90 m could become the largest unmanned ferry ever printed, the publication reported. Designboom The team working on its creation claims that such transportation will help athletes and visitors of the Olympic Games “meet their mobility needs in a new, environmentally friendly way.”
According to the developers, the unmanned ferry “has a brain.” In addition to being fully electric, this water transport vehicle can be charged wirelessly. It is capable of automatically departing and docking without any assistance. However, the unique technologies that will be used to create the ferry are still kept under wraps. The designers only mentioned that they will be using tools. artificial intelligence that are rapidly developing.
The first version of the vessel features a long bench in the middle of the hull. There will be plenty of space around it for as many passengers as possible who wish to reach certain locations during a single trip. However, the decision on the maximum weight capacity of the vessel has not yet been made.
The walls and side parts of the ferry’s ceiling are made of translucent glass. Thanks to this, the guests of the Olympics will enjoy stunning views of the French capital. If you look at the bottom of the vessel, you can notice that the structure narrows towards the bottom. The thing is, the engineers decided to install trusses to prevent the ferry from capsizing.
Its interior and exterior are framed by thick geometric stripes of white and gray colors. Therefore, the structure not only has an elegant appearance but is also noticeable from afar. The LED lighting, with sources embedded in the floor, walls, and ceiling, adds a romantic – Parisian – atmosphere.
