Self parking cars are nothing new, but now a Volvo subsidiary, Volvo Penta has come up with a self-docking yacht. Granted, not many of us own a yacht, but apparently the docking process is one of the most stressful parts of boating, not to mention costly if things go awry.

Progress in Volvo’s autonomous vehicles are well on track, but this is the first time a yacht has received this type of treatment. Volvo’s self-docking abilities were demonstrated during the recent Gothenburg, Sweden, stopover of the Volvo Ocean race. In what must have been a stressful live demonstration, a 20 m yacht fitted with the technology maneuvered into a tight space between two of the Volvo Ocean Race 65 racing yachts.

The self-docking system contains sensors and onboard computers that react in milliseconds to changing wind and sea conditions, constantly making micro adjustments in power and steering angle. That said, the Volvo Penta docking system does not allow the captain to sip a martini on the deck since it’s not fully autonomous. Instead, the company recommends that he remains at the helm during the docking process.

Volvo Penta notes that the system will be commercially available by 2020. Hit play on the video below to see the Volvo Penta self-docking system in action.

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