# Self-Propelling Cargo Boats The 'Roboat' Program Will Put Autonomous Boats in Amsterdam's Canals By Joey Haar | Published 2016-09-19 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roboat References: [theverge](http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/19/12968420/amsterdam-self-driving-boats-roboat) & [ams-institute.org](http://www.ams-institute.org/roboat/) Amsterdam is second only to Venice for its fame as a city veined with canals, and the Roboat program is a plan to take advantage of technology in navigating and traversing those bodies of water. A collaboration between [MIT](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/water-robot), the [Delft University of Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/red-reference-driver), and Wageningen University and Research, the Roboat program is a plan to fill Amsterdam's canals with [autonomous boats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roboturtle) and other floating vehicles. Self-driving cars are highly publicized on land, yet the waterways are mostly free of any autonomous technology. Thanks to a 20 million Euro contribution from MIT, Roboat will use Amsterdam as a test site for what might become the norm in water transport. Beyond moving people and cargo, the fleet of Roboat boats could be used to create on-demand bridges and city infrastructure, rafting together end-to-end in mere hours and breaking down just as quickly. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.3/10 - Popularity: 73% | Activity: 47% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Autonomous Boats:** The Roboat program aims to fill Amsterdam's canals with autonomous boats, creating opportunities for unmanned water transportation. - **On-demand Infrastructure:** The Roboat fleet could be utilized to create on-demand bridges and city infrastructure, providing disruptive innovation in urban planning and transportation. - **Waterway Autonomy:** While self-driving cars are prominent on land, the Roboat program taps into the potential of autonomous technology in water transport, offering disruptive innovations in marine industries. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Transportation:** The Roboat program in Amsterdam presents opportunities for disruptive innovations in water transportation, revolutionizing the maritime industry. - **Urban Planning:** The on-demand infrastructure capabilities of the Roboat fleet can revolutionize urban planning, creating new possibilities for city development and resource management. - **Technology:** Autonomous boats, as seen in the Roboat program, showcase advancements in technology for water-based autonomous systems, presenting opportunities for disruptive innovation in the tech industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Water-Mapping Autonomous Vessels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/autonomous-vessel.md) - [Autonomous Electric Catamarans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/callboats-cat-10l.md) - [Autonomous Amphibious Vehicle Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crosser-v1.md) - [Hydrofoiling Electric Boats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hydrofoiling-electric-boats.md) - [On-Demand Electric Boat Taxis](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electric-boat-taxi.md) - [Oyster-Harvesting Water Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/water-robot.md) - [Art Deco Self-Driving Vans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tesla-robovan.md) - [Self-Dock Aquatic Robot Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roboturtle.md) - [Interactive Autonomous Delivery Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/robo-a2z-delivery-vehicle.md)