HD Hyundai said on the 7th that Avikus recently obtained type approval (TA) for its autonomous navigation system "HiNAS Control" from DNV.
This is the first time a mass-producible autonomous navigation system that can be applied generically to various vessels has received international certification. HiNAS Control is an autonomous navigation system that integrates perception, decision-making, and control functions. It can independently recognize surrounding ships and obstacles, assess the navigation situation, and control the vessel to avoid collisions.
With this type approval, HiNAS Control can now be installed without additional verification.
Avikus worked closely with DNV for more than three years to jointly define safety requirements for autonomous navigation systems and establish a verification framework. DNV systematically evaluated Avikus' vision sensing and sensor fusion technologies and its collision-avoidance function based on the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS).
HD Hyundai said the verification framework and evaluation criteria established this time would help HiNAS Control become a standard technology in the global autonomous navigation market at a time when international standards for autonomy have yet to be fixed. They are also expected to be used in setting detailed technical criteria for the non-mandatory Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) Code under discussion at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Vidal Dolonen, DNV's country chair for Korea and Japan, said, "Type approval for HiNAS Control is especially meaningful in that it is the first system showing autonomous navigation technology moving beyond a mere vision and into commercialization."
Avikus CEO Lim Do-hyeong said, "This type approval is proof that Avikus' autonomous navigation technology has been recognized for global-level safety and reliability," adding, "We will leverage synergy with the HD Hyundai group to drive both commercialization of autonomous navigation technology and the establishment of international standards."
HiNAS Control began to be applied as a standard specification to ships built by HD Hyundai in 2023. Cumulative orders to date total 500 vessels.