翻訳待ち：NEC tests parking tech that only starts charging once you exit your car

AI サービスが一時的に利用できないため、復旧後に翻訳を補完します。

ASIA IN BRIEF Japan’s NEC has started tests of parking technology that will start charging once a driver leaves their car. Most car parks record the time a driver enters the facility and start charging, or depleting a free parking period, at that moment. That means drivers pay for time spent driving around looking for a spot and for the time it takes to exit a car park. NEC, in concert with another Japanese company called UrbanChain, will next month test a system that detects when a driver pulls up in a parking spot and exits their car – and starts charging for parking at that moment. That’s only possible using cameras and AI analysis of real-time video, and the tests NEC will conduct in September will investigate how many cameras are needed to make its plans feasible. NEC’s announcement also mentions “data utilization services targeting commercial facilities that can be used for monitoring vehicle occupant exit counts, analyzing facility visitor trends, and more” plus “new possibilities for data utilization.” Which sounds like a new form of surveillance capitalism, brought to car parks. The two companies also think there’s a safety benefit to their proposal, as it can spot drivers who haven’t left their cars for an extended period – a potential sign of illness. They also hypothesize that if drivers know they won’t be charged while searching for a spot or exiting a center, they may drive more safely. Fujifilm may join Japan’s printer exodus Fujifilm last week informed investors [PDF] that it is investigating a partial spin-off of its printer business. The company wants to float the business and retain up to 20 percent of its shares; an idea it thinks will mean Fujifilm can focus on its other businesses. If the plan goes ahead, Fujifilm will join fellow Japanese printer-makers Epson. Toshiba, and Ricoh in reducing its exposure to the biz. It’s not hard to see why Fujifilm is eyeing the exit: Analyst firm IDC recently said “a confluence of structural transformation and cyclical pressure” has brought uncertainty and sharply falling sales to the printer market. 2GW-plus datacenter opens in western China Chinese company Envision last week announced the commissioning of a two-gigawatt-plus datacenter in Ulana, Inner Mongolia. The company said the 120,000-square-meter facility can house up to one million GPUs and deliver one million PFLOPS of AI computing power. Renewable energy powers the facility, which is located in China’s west – making it an expression of Beijing’s Data East, Compute West plan that calls for construction of large datacenters closer to sources of clean energy and away from large population centers. Cable operator calls for police probe after faults follow “suspicious” activity Australian submarine cable operator and entrepreneur Bevan Slattery on Sunday claimed “some suspicious/coincidental activity” took place at the time two of his cables experienced a fault. “This is a concerning development. Partially because submarine cables are the digital lifeblood of our nation, but also because this could very well turn out to be the second such incidence in a Federally declared cable protection zone,” Slattery wrote. His post includes a marine chart that shows a vessel called the GEM Sapphire, which ship-tracking site VesselFinder lists as a 183-meter long tanker, repeatedly crossing the path of two cables. Infosys to wear Crocs for ten years Indian tech services giant will spend the next decade making sure the world’s ugliest shoes can be produced efficiently, after scoring a deal to help Crocs modernize its systems. Infosys says it will “unify data across the organization and aim to empower Crocs, Inc. with real-time, insight-driven decision-making – accelerating innovation while enhancing efficiency, responsiveness and customer experience.” Apparently, the deal “help Crocs, Inc. address key industry challenges, including rising costs, inconsistent processes and the need for increased agility. The transformation will standardize operations and aim to enable the business to better respond to evolving consumer and market demands.” There’s no mention if the deal will mean anyone looks cool wearing Crocs. Maybe even a decade of help from Infosys can’t make that possible. Australia urges smart glasses privacy probe Australian discount department store Kmart last week started selling low-end smart glasses for just AU$89 ($62/£46). The Guardian reported they sold out swiftly, sparking a privacy debate that quickly saw Australia’s Attorney-General write to the nation’s Privacy Commissioner to ask “that this issue be given priority consideration.” “Privacy is an essential part of all our lives,” said Attorney-General Michelle Rowland, before citing “widespread community concerns about the potential impacts of ‘smart glasses’, particularly for women and children.” ®