Hyundai Glovis is deploying the world’s first AI-controlled autonomous navigation systems on car carrier ships, partnering with Avikus to retrofit seven vessels with Level-2 Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship platforms by mid-2026. This $6.5 billion initiative represents the first commercial deployment of integrated AI decision-making systems across multiple car carriers, potentially transforming maritime logistics where full AI autonomy has remained largely theoretical.
What you should know: The AI system, branded as HiNAS (HD Hyundai Intelligent Navigation Assistant System), enables partial remote control and real-time route optimization rather than full autonomy.
- Glovis plans to install the technology on vessels including the 229.9-meter-long Sunrise, which can carry up to 7,000 vehicles and may become the largest ship ever equipped with AI-driven autonomy.
- The ships measure approximately 750 feet long and weigh nearly 100,000 tons, making them among the most massive AI-controlled vessels ever conceived.
- Installation will be complete across all seven pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) by mid-2026.
Why this matters: The deployment marks a shift from theoretical AI maritime applications to practical commercial use, with potential implications for fuel efficiency and operational optimization across global shipping routes.
- Japanese and European competitors have tested AI-enhanced routing, but Glovis’ approach represents the first wide deployment of integrated decision-making systems on multiple car carriers.
- The initiative positions South Korea’s shipping industry at the forefront of autonomous maritime technology as the sector moves beyond research phases.
The technology behind it: Avikus, the autonomous vessel technology arm of HD Hyundai, developed the HiNAS system after gaining attention for completing the world’s first transatlantic voyage by an LNG carrier using Level-2 autonomous technology in 2022.
- The company is now targeting Level-3 and Level-4 capabilities, which would enable full unmanned operation by 2027.
- Avikus has been expanding partnerships with firms like Sinokor and H-Line as part of its broader autonomous shipping strategy.
What they’re saying: Industry officials highlight the strategic advantages for long-haul shipping routes.
- “An autonomous ship is particularly effective for PCTCs, which operate on long-haul, point-to-point routes linking Asia to Europe or North America,” a Glovis official noted.
- “While competitors have added what amounts to smart navigation, Glovis is effectively giving ships the ability to make decisions and optimize performance on their own,” said a shipping analyst familiar with the project.
Strategic context: The partnership reflects deeper convergence between South Korea’s industrial giants, despite Glovis and Avikus belonging to different branches of the Hyundai family.
- Hyundai Glovis has committed 9 trillion won (approximately $6.5 billion) in investment through 2030 as part of its transformation into a smart logistics solutions company.
- The decision to partner with Avikus rather than develop proprietary technology raises questions about long-term flexibility and control over future software updates.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...