Military drones already fly frequent missions and civilian operations using unmanned aircraft are coming. Drivcrlcss cars are cl

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问题     Military drones already fly frequent missions and civilian operations using unmanned aircraft are coming. Drivcrlcss cars are clocking up thousands of test miles. So why not let remote-controlled ships set sail without a crew? Indeed, the maritime industry has started to think about what would be required to launch a latter-day Marie Celeste.
    Ships, like aircraft and cars, are increasingly controlled by electronic systems, which makes automation easier. The bridges of some modern vessels are now more likely to contain computer screens and joysticks than engine telegraphs and a giant ship’s wheel. The latest supply ships serving the offshore oil and gas industry in the North Sea, for instance, use dynamic positioning systems which collect data from satellites, gyrocompasses, and wind and motion sensors to automatically hold their position when transferring cargo to and from platforms, even in the heaviest of swells.
    However, as is also the case with pilotless aircraft and driverless cars, it is not so much a technological challenge that has to be overcome before autonomous ships can set sail, but regulatory and safety concerns. As in the air and on the road, robust control systems will be needed to conform to existing regulations.
    The maritime industry is interested in crewless ships for two reasons. The first is safety. Most accidents at sea are the result of human error, just as they are in cars and planes. So, if human operators are replaced by sophisticated sensors and computer systems, autonomous vessels should, in theory, make shipping safer.
    The second reason is, of course, cost. It is becoming increasingly difficult to sign up competent crew prepared to spend months away at sea. Moreover, some voyages are likely to get even longer for ships carrying non-urgent cargo. By some accounts, a 30% reduction in speed by a bulk carrier can save around 50% in fuel. This means slower steaming could provide big savings in fuel costs, but it would be at the expense of increased expenditure on crew for these longer voyages, both in wages and for the "hotel" facilities required on board. Removing the crew, though, also removes the need for their accommodation and its associated equipment, like heating and plumbing. And that provides room to carry more cargo.
The biggest challenges for autonomous ships are______.

选项 A、technological problems
B、stable controlling systems
C、rules and security concerns
D、regulations and technologies

答案C

解析 根据题干中的challenges,autonomous ships等词定位到第三段首句:it is not so mucha technological challenge that has to be overcome before autonomous ships can set sail,but regulatory and safety concerns.该句明确指出:it is not so much a technological challenge“并没有太多技术上的挑战”,故可以判断[A]项technological problems“技术问题”是错误的。而[B]项的stable controlling systems“稳定的操控系统”该句并未提到,故错误。[C]项的rules andsecurity concerns“法规和安全问题”与原文的regulatory and safety concerns一致,故正确。[D]项technology一词有误。
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