Autonomous navigation company Avikus announced yesterday that it will sign a memorandum of understanding with Honda Marine to integrate its Neuboat semiautonomous technology with Honda’s Intelligent Shift & Throttle, or iST, system. The deal will be made official Oct. 7 at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference in Tampa, Fla.
“Honda carries a long-standing recognition and respect across a multitude of industries, including marine,” Avikus CEO Do-Hyeong Lim said in a statement. “Honda continuously elevates the customer experience when it comes to marine engines and controls. And we’re excited to begin working with an industry-leading team of engineers at Honda to bring award-winning autonomous technology and convenience to Honda customers in the marine space.”
According to the terms of the memorandum of understanding, Avikus will integrate the Neuboat system using the protocol of the drive-by-wire iST to provide such autonomous features as collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control and auto docking. The company said that the next steps call for Avikus systems to integrate with Honda BF350 iST controllers across OEMs, dealers and customers.
