Companies like Google and Tesla may be developing driverless cars, but Rolls-Royce is upping the ante by developing drone cargo ships.

Somewhere in Norway a captain is standing in front of the expansive views seen from a ship’s bridge, but simulated in virtual reality. The prototype being developed and tested by Rolls-Royce Holdings will have a captain be in control of a modern day ghost ship by using virtual reality.

Having a cargo ship unmanned sailing the oceans might seem far fetched but the logic behind it is solid. Not only will it cut costs by being lighter and more fuel efficient, it will reduce the cost of the operating crew drastically. A cargo ship’s crew account for 44% of the operating costs.

However, getting rid of crew members will have unions biting at Rolls-Royce’s heels. And of course there are concerns of how a unmanned ship will cope in open waters without a crew standing by. Rolls-Royce hopes to have drone ships sailing the oceans within a decade.

[ Source : FastCompany ]