Survey on existing technologies in autopilot systems: current status and future perspectives

As a system designed for automatically controlling a ship’s direction, a ship’s autopilot can adjust the rudder angle to ensure that the ship reaches its intended course. Utilizing autopilots on the ship can alleviate the workload of crew members and significantly enhance navigation safety and efficiency. This survey aims to evaluate and summarize the current research status in control methods used in autopilots, and to discuss the future perspectives. In addition, this survey also examines the challenges faced by the application of autopilot technology, such as unpredictable weather conditions and environmental factors, which can affect the accuracy of the autopilot system. This paper focuses on exploring the application scope and limitations of control technology in autopilots, investigating its historical developments, and giving out future research directions. Through a comprehensive review and assessment of existing literature, researchers can better understand the current state of the automatic control methods in autopilots and provide key references for future research and applications.