The auto-pilot is the system which controls the rudder to keep or change the ship’s course. This system mainly consists of a steering stand installed in the wheelhouse and equipment installed in the steering gear room (steering gear control system).
Basically, these two units are connected with cables and two lines of all control circuitry and steering control systems except for rudder are provided as the standard (user can select to adopt or not to adopt a part of circuitry). As two complete systems are provided, accordingly, even if a failure occurs in operating system, the steering function can be secured by switching to the other.
Last of all, an auto-pilot controls the steering of the vessel in order to keep the vessel on a selected compass heading or a course to a waypoint that was created on a chart plotter.
