---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 C.F.R. § 35.20-45"
title: "46"
number: "35.20-45"
heading: "Use of Auto Pilot—T/ALL."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/46/35.20-45"
---

# §35.20-45. Use of Auto Pilot—T/ALL.


When the automatic pilot is used in:

- (a) Areas of high traffic density;
- (b) Conditions of restricted visibility; and
- (c) All other hazardous navigational situations, the master shall ensure that:
  - (1) It is possible to immediately establish manual control of the ship's steering;
  - (2) A competent person is ready at all times to take over steering control; and
  - (3) The changeover from automatic to manual steering and vice versa is made by, or under, the supervision of the officer of the watch.

## Notes

### Amendments

[CGD 75-074, 42 FR 5963, Jan. 31, 1977, as amended by CGD 91-204, 58 FR 27633, May 10, 1993; USCG-2015-0926, 83 FR 55281, Nov. 5, 2018, 83 FR 56271, Nov. 13, 2018]

### Authority

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1321(j); 46 U.S.C. 3306, 3703, 6101, 70011, 70034; 49 U.S.C. 5103, 5106; Executive Order 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; Executive Order 12777, 56 FR 54757, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 351; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4.

### Source

Source: CGFR 65-50, 30 FR 16704, Dec. 30, 1965, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[CGD 75-074, 42 FR 5963, Jan. 31, 1977, as amended by CGD 91-204, 58 FR 27633, May 10, 1993; USCG-2015-0926, 83 FR 55281, Nov. 5, 2018, 83 FR 56271, Nov. 13, 2018]