An Examination of Criticisms of Automatic Radar Plotting Systems and their Advantages in Relation to Manual and Semi-auto Systems

Abstract

Criticism of the automatic (computerized) plotting systems has so far concentrated on the supposed danger of inadvertent hiding, through immaculate presentation, of the effects of radar, gyro and applied own speed errors, which could lead to false assumptions on the situation being made. However, although not stated in the criticism, the errors in question affect all methods of plotting, so that if the charge is valid it is a challenge to the usefulness of radar plotting as an aid to avoiding collision at sea.