For the Garmin Surround View, six cameras are built into the side of the boat, just below deck level. There's a rear camera (on the transom) and one at the bow (looking forward) and then four more cameras (two on each side) spread out along the boat. By combining the view from these 6 cameras, Garmin displays a top view of the boat with a 360° view, a kind of panoramic view. Without leaving the helm, just by looking at your Garmin screen, you get a peripheral view of what's going on around you.
This 360° view is particularly interesting when approaching a berth. With an Augmented Reality system, by drawing "scales" that indicate distances (either backwards or sideways), the skipper always knows how far from the dock his boat is. A "visual bumper" system (with a frame that is displayed all around the boat) also helps to better understand distances. If the aerial panoramic view is very appreciable, it can easily be combined on the screen with views directly from one or the other camera, offering an image that is often more readable (less distorted) and therefore easier to use.
The cameras are placed on the outside of the hulls and are not too prominent so as not to risk getting stuck when docking. This system reminds the one we already know with the back-up cameras present on cars, the will of Garmin being to always simplify the navigation.
For the moment, even if the system was presented in partnership with Volvo and its Assisted Docking (the joystick for maneuvering), no connection is yet presented between the engine manufacturer and the electronics manufacturer. But from there to imagine an automatic docking, there is only one step..
