Page 83 - Australian Defence Magazine October 2019

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control systems are becoming common on- board ships. Underwater platforms, from unmanned underwater vehicles to sub- marines, have specialised guidance, navi- gation, and motion control systems that implement motion behaviours needed for their missions and operations. Automation has become a key enabling factor in mod- ern maritime operations.
One cannot help questioning why we need further levels of automation. First, to remove humans from situations that are dangerous. Second, to augment per- sonnel’s power through the collaborative use of the next generation of technologies. Third, to ensure the safety and sustain- ability of operations as they continue to increase in complexity.
What should Digital Mike do?
First we need to distinguish autonomy from the current automation already present. As a starting point for making such distinction, we can consider the tra- ditional role of humans onboard marine craft. The key roles of humans on board of ships are to operate, navigate, and com- municate. To this list, we must also add that these roles are to be maintained in the presence of anomalous conditions ie con- tingency management.
Then, we have a parallel in functions to that of humans a basis for describing autonomy: while Metal Mike emulated the commands of a helmsman, Digital Mike’s functions are to operate, navigate, communicate, and manage contingencies. These functions, which are built upon the underlying automation, can be imple- mented in a variety of ways, under a variety of mechanisms for intervention, and using different technologies including AI.
What is the essence
of autonomy?
Unfortunately, there is no agreed-upon definition of autonomy nor taxonomies about levels of autonomy. Such taxono- mies, while making some people com- fortable, may be unnecessary. Engineers design reliable safety-critical systems in in many sectors, and yet we do not talk about taxonomies of reliable systems nor specify levels of reliability. What matters are the appropriate behaviour requirements of the autonomous system for the operations and missions that the system will conduct.
When we talk about autonomy, we often refer to the interrelation of three concepts: the nature of the interventional
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