logo
Sri Lanka to monitor bus drivers with AI after worst crash in decades

Sri Lanka to monitor bus drivers with AI after worst crash in decades

CNA14-05-2025
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will use artificial intelligence to monitor bus drivers and make seat belts mandatory on public transport, a government minister said on Wednesday (May 14), after the country's worst bus crash in two decades killed 23 people.
The South Asian nation, which records an average of 3,000 road fatalities annually, has some of the most dangerous roads in the world.
Buses are to be equipped with driver monitoring systems from next year, while seat belts will become compulsory on public transport from June, Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake told reporters in Colombo.
It came after an overcrowded bus carrying dozens of Buddhist pilgrims plummeted into a precipice on Sunday.
The changes are aimed at "educating motorists to develop a better driving culture and improving safety standards", Rathnayake said.
"We are going to make AI-backed driver observation systems mandatory on all buses from next year, and we will expand them to all long-distance trucks as well."
The minister said the cause of Sunday's crash in the tea-growing mountainous region of Kotmale was still being investigated, but that two more passengers had died, raising the toll to 23.
Fifty-four passengers were admitted to hospital, Rathnayake said, adding that preliminary inquiries had found no immediate indication of driver error.
Another driver had reported a problem with the bus's steering wheel the day before, but managers said it was attended to.
Sunday's crash off a cliffside road was the deadliest recorded in Sri Lanka since April 2005.
The state-owned bus was carrying around 77 passengers - about 20 more than its capacity.
In March 2021, 13 passengers and the driver of a privately owned bus died when the vehicle crashed into a precipice in Passara, about 100km east of the site of Sunday's crash.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Singaporeans least worried about AI travel scams, global study finds
Singaporeans least worried about AI travel scams, global study finds

Independent Singapore

time4 days ago

  • Independent Singapore

Singaporeans least worried about AI travel scams, global study finds

Photo: Freepik/ jcomp SINGAPORE: Singaporeans are the least concerned in the world about AI-powered scams in the travel industry, with only 37% consumers in the city-state saying they lack confidence in the industry's ability to protect them from identity fraud, compared to 44% globally and 55% in the United States, Singapore Business Review reported, citing Jumio's 2025 Online Identity Study. The study's findings suggest that despite growing awareness of AI-related threats, Singaporeans remain relatively trusting when booking trips online. The share of Singaporeans willing to spend more time on identity checks when using travel platforms stands at 78%, a 6% drop from last year. It's a similar story with sharing economy platforms like holiday rentals. While 85% of Singaporeans were willing to verify their identities last year, that number has since dropped to 74% in 2025. Meanwhile, global figures showed little change or only a slight decline in people's willingness to go through identity checks. The study also found that 74% of Singaporeans see AI-powered scams as a bigger threat to personal security than traditional forms of identity theft, compared to the global average of 69%. It looked at varying levels of trust in digital security across markets, especially as more people travel and use online platforms to book or manage their trips. /TISG Read also: 1 in 3 Singaporeans cuts back on American products spending amid Trump's tariff move () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });

Singapore is the most expensive city for rich to live well: report
Singapore is the most expensive city for rich to live well: report

Business Times

time14-07-2025

  • Business Times

Singapore is the most expensive city for rich to live well: report

[SINGAPORE] For the third year in a row, Singapore is ranked as the most expensive city for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) to live well, indicated a report by Swiss private bank Julius Baer. Despite this, the city remains highly liveable, appealing to HNWIs and businesses due to its stable political climate, safety, and quality services including education and healthcare, the bank said on Monday (Jul 14). 'With the current unpredictable nature of the world, Singapore is valued for its stability, security and connection to Asia and beyond,' the report said. Three Asia-Pacific cities made it to the Julius Baer Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2025's top 10 expensive cities globally – Hong Kong ranked third, while Shanghai ranked sixth. The region had slight price decreases of 1 per cent on average, making it the most stable of all the surveyed regions this year, the report said. Chua Jen-Ai, Asia research analyst at Julius Baer, noted that the Apac region remains one of the fastest-growing globally, even though the tariff war has 'disproportionately impacted' the region. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up 'Firm fundamentals have set the stage for the rapid ascent of wealth in the region,' she said. HNWIs in Apac saw some of the biggest jumps in cost for lifestyle spending habits, outpacing all regions in high-end women's clothes, hotels and fine dining, as 80 per cent of them reported increased assets over the past year. Singapore is ranked the most expensive for cars and women's handbags; second for women's shoes and third for residential properties and healthcare. The biggest jump overall was in business class air fares – up 12.6 per cent across the Apac region, with a marked increase in leisure travel compared to business travel. Globally, business class air fares are up 18.2 per cent in US dollar terms, with post-Covid revenge spending proving remarkably durable, even if appetite is starting to slow, the report said. Longevity is also top of mind for all Apac HNWIs surveyed in the report, with 100 per cent saying they are taking measures to increase their lifespans. Unlike other regions, those in Apac said that they are overwhelmingly concerned about health, even as other regions reported more interest in dining experiences and human interaction. The growing wealth of Apac's HNWI population – combined with increased interest in health, wellness and experiences – continues to shape spending patterns across the region, the report said. Tariff uncertainty For the first time since the report, the index recorded a decline of 2 per cent in US dollar terms, which is 'a surprising development in a segment that has traditionally outpaced average consumer price growth'. The decline, led by a 3.4 fall in the price of goods, reflected shifting global consumption trends, the report said. 'Therefore, a decline of more than one percentage point underscores the headwinds facing the high-end sector,' said Christian Gattiker, head of research at Julius Baer. Nevertheless, the report noted that data collection took place before the US announced its tariff plans, thus the subsequent market and pricing turmoil is not factored into this year's numbers. Gattiker added: 'In light of ongoing uncertainty, trade tensions, and tariffs, our findings represent the final moment 'before' the current situation, and next year's Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report will likely provide a fascinating 'after' perspective.'

LG Electronics shares jump on report of AI chip gear development
LG Electronics shares jump on report of AI chip gear development

Business Times

time14-07-2025

  • Business Times

LG Electronics shares jump on report of AI chip gear development

[HONG KONG] LG Electronics shares advanced in Seoul after a local media report that the company is developing cutting-edge tools for making the memory chips that work alongside artificial intelligence (AI) processors designed by Nvidia and others. The South Korean company is targeting mass production of hybrid bonders for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips in 2028, Seoul Economic Daily reported, citing unidentified sources. LG Electronics said that it is conducting technical research on hybrid bonders for HBM, but the specific timing of mass production has not been confirmed. South Korea is home to SK Hynix, a key supplier of HBM, which comprises stacks of Dram chips. Hybrid bonders are critical to the manufacture of HBM, enabling thinner stacks by directly bonding the electrodes of adjacent layers. Other South Korean companies already making hybrid bonding equipment include Hanmi Semiconductor, Samsung Electronics' Semes and Hanwha Vision's Hanwha Semitech unit. Hanmi Semiconductor's shares slid as much as 6.5 per cent on Monday (Jul 14) while Hanwha Vision's fell 4.7 per cent and Samsung Electronics' dipped 1.3 per cent. 'The entry barrier for the bonder market is quite steep, and the real edge lies with those who have been mastering the craft for years,' said Greg Roh, an analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities. 'It makes sense to explore new business while the market is growing, but with strong players already in the game, it will require validation.' The company could also face competition from abroad, with Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Sean Chen noting Hong Kong-listed ASMPT and the Netherlands' BE Semiconductor Industries as potential rivals in hybrid bonders. 'LG Electronics could face earnings pressure with rising R&D and capex, while sales contribution is likely to be limited to 2030,' he wrote in a report. BLOOMBERG

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store