The Sensor:
Legal Insights into Autonomous Vehicles

July 2019
Unfamiliar Waters: Navigating Autonomous Vessels’ Potential and Perils

Autonomous technology is advancing in every sector and in many ways the maritime industry may well be viewed by some as being ahead of the pack. From crewless ships to autonomous loading and offloading, there has been a steady increase in the use of autonomous technology on commercial vessels. Like any disruptive technology, however, autonomous vessels present their fair share of challenges.
- if regulatory changes are to be made, representatives from all parts of the shipping chain should be involved in developing those changes;
- there should be a mechanism in place whereby regulatory changes can adapt swiftly to the changing landscape, or the Canadian maritime industry risks falling behind the rest of the world;
- Canada’s harsh environment should be considered when developing the regulations such that the practicality of international agreements is not hampered; and
- within the limits of existing regulations, it would be beneficial to grant local exemptions or permits to allow testing or operation of autonomous and semiautonomous vessels in local waters or specific navigational areas within Canadian waters such that testing can occur before international agreements are agreed to and adopted.
Monthly articles provided in The Sensor: Legal Insights into Autonomous Vehicles explore how autonomous vehicles are impacting industry sectors across the board and are written with the objective of helping to ensure our clients are well-positioned to deal with the related legal and regulatory challenges.
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