Watch a GPS-assisted boat motor keep ships steady
You don't need to be a boating veteran to use Mercury Marine's GPS-boosted motors.
Driving a motorboat can be scary if you're a newcomer. Despite all that power, you're still at the mercy of the wind and waves -- it can be hard to keep your boat steady when you're docking or waiting for a bridge. Mercury Marine may just save your hide (and your hull), however. It just showed off the results of its smarter Verado outboard motors, which use Skyhook's GPS technology to keep your boat steady and on course. The effect, as you'll see below, is almost eerie: a craft that would drift on its own suddenly stays put thanks to the pivoting engines.
The hardware isn't just useful for rookies, either. This makes it easy to pilot a boat with a joystick, and it frees you up to handle the other things you'd rather do on the open water, like hobnobbing with passengers. While it's going to be a long while before you can buy a fully autonomous ship, these GPS-aware motors should still make your life easier.
