(CNN) -- Fully autonomous cars were promised for years, but despite numerous road tests and technological advances, we are still waiting.

In 2016, Lyft predicted that most of its rides would be autonomous by 2021, while in 2017, General Motors said it would mass-produce fully autonomous vehicles even earlier. But creating a car capable of handling any eventuality that may arise on every road is proving more difficult than anticipated.

On the water, the situation is a little different: with fewer vehicles on canals, rivers and in open water than on highways, and without the problem of wayward pedestrians, autonomous boats have fewer obstacles to face. In addition, ships often follow established routes, for example, sea routes and ferry crossings, so navigation is easier than with an autonomous car.

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There are already a number of autonomous ships operating in our waterways. Powered by advanced artificial intelligence systems and sensors, these ships navigate, avoid obstacles and adapt to changing conditions in real time.

From cargo transport to search and rescue missions, to passenger ferries and tugboats, they can be programmed to perform complex tasks, such as monitoring water quality, collecting oceanographic data or even assisting in offshore construction projects.

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Autonomous and electric

In the canals of the Netherlands, electric and fully autonomous Roboats have been tested for transport and waste collection. These autonomous ships developed by MIT and funded by the City of Amsterdam can even be combined to form floating infrastructures such as docks and bridges. The company behind them now hopes to build an autonomous ferry that will operate during the Paris Olympics in 2024.

In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai tested an autonomous ferry Abra, a wooden ship that can carry eight passengers, while in Norway, its creators, chemical company Yara International, describe the Yara Birkeland as the world's first fully electric autonomous cargo ship. , and aims to promote a more environmentally friendly movement of goods.

Proponents say that by reducing human error, autonomous ships promise to improve safety and minimize accidents, while optimizing fuel consumption and reducing carbon emissions.

Here are some of the autonomous travel bets on the water:

The Netherlands has tested electric and fully autonomous Roboats for passenger transport and garbage collection in its canals. Credit: MIT/AMS Institute

Equipped with six AI-powered cameras and 30 onboard sensors, the Mayflower 400, an autonomous research vessel designed to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower's original voyage, sailed from Plymouth, UK, across the Atlantic Ocean to reach Massachusetts, USA, in 2022.
Credit: IBM

In the UAE, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has conducted trials with an autonomous ferry Abra, a wooden boat with capacity for eight passengers. It is part of efforts to make a quarter of travel in Dubai self-driving by 2030. Credit: RTA Dubai

HD Hyundai says its Prism Courage was the first large vessel to cross the Pacific Ocean autonomously. In 2022, this 134,000-ton commercial tanker traveled from the Gulf of Mexico through the Panama Canal to South Korea's western Chungcheong province in 33 days. Credit: HD Hyundai

The Yara Birkeland has been described as the world's first zero-emission autonomous freighter. The vessel travelled from Horten to Oslo (Norway) in 2021 and there are plans for it to operate regularly without crew in the coming years. Credit: Knut Brevik Andersen

An autonomous electric ferry called Zeabuz is being tested in Trondheim, Norway. It can carry 12 passengers, plus bicycles, and is loaded while docked. It is also planned to operate in Stockholm, Sweden. Courtesy of Zeabuz

In the UK, SEA-KIT International has developed the USV Maxlimer, a semi-autonomous and remotely controlled unmanned surface vessel. SEA-KIT vessels are designed for use in the commercial, defense and luxury sectors, and are already used for mapping and surveying. Credit: SEA-KIT International

In 2021, Sea Machines Robotics said it completed the world's first voyage of more than 1,000 nautical miles with an autonomous, remotely controlled tugboat, circumnavigating Denmark with a vessel called the "Nellie Bly." Credit: Sea Machines

Now that we can be autonomous in the water, how long will it be before we are also autonomous on land?