Safety first as Saudi firm puts smart tech in the driving seat

The Najm initiative, a collaboration with US-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics and analytics platform AiGenix, will provide an advanced system for measuring driving behavior. (Twittet @najm_ksa)
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The Najm initiative, a collaboration with US-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics and analytics platform AiGenix, will provide an advanced system for measuring driving behavior. (Twittet @najm_ksa)
The Najm initiative, a collaboration with US-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics and analytics platform AiGenix, will provide an advanced system for measuring driving behavior. (Twittet @najm_ksa)
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The Najm initiative, a collaboration with US-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics and analytics platform AiGenix, will provide an advanced system for measuring driving behavior. (Twittet @najm_ksa)
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Updated 08 July 2024
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Safety first as Saudi firm puts smart tech in the driving seat

Safety first as Saudi firm puts smart tech in the driving seat
  • Under an initiative launched in Riyadh on Monday by Saudi Insurance Services Company (Najm), smart devices installed in vehicles will monitor speed, acceleration, braking, turns, and compliance with traffic regulations
  • Initiative to help reduce road accidents and death rates: Najm CEO

RIYADH: Saudi drivers could soon benefit from pioneering AI technology that will measure driver behavior and provide feedback, helping to improve road safety across the Kingdom.

Under an initiative launched in Riyadh on Monday by Saudi Insurance Services Company (Najm), smart devices installed in vehicles will monitor speed, acceleration, braking, turns, and compliance with traffic regulations.

The telematic technology can analyze data, and evaluate drivers’ risk levels compared with accepted standards.

Drivers will earn rewards and discounts on their vehicle insurance based on their driving habits.

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The telematic technology can analyze data, and evaluate drivers’ risk levels compared with accepted standards.

The Najm initiative, a collaboration with US-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics and analytics platform AiGenix, will provide an advanced system for measuring driving behavior.

AiGenix spokesperson Asad Irshad told Arab News that the service will include AI-driven technology that studies driver behavior based on collected data and offers user assistance to improve driving habits.

“It goes not only from how you drive but when you drive, where you drive, what the road conditions are, what the weather conditions are, and whether that can change the risk factors on the road,” Irshad said.

Mohammed Al-Shehri, CEO of Najm, said that the initiative will help reduce road accidents and death rates, and offer protection against road hazards, helping meet the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.

Najm will also launch a social media awareness program promoting road safety.

“Media is essential in this partnership, especially because the main goal is that we want to raise awareness of road safety in the Kingdom, which began with today’s signing,” Al-Shehri said.

“Through pioneering technology and strategic partnerships with global leaders like CMT and AiGenix, Najm is setting a new standard for road safety in Saudi Arabia. The initiative not only works to improve driving standards, but also creates a qualitative shift in driving behavior and insurance practices, which will enhance safety for all road users, enabling a safer and smarter driving environment across the country.”

William Powers, co-founder and CEO of Cambridge Mobile Telematics, said that the collaboration with Najm is a critical step toward creating safer, smarter roads.

“CMT has rapidly expanded worldwide in the past few years. Today, we power the most sophisticated mobility programs in the world, making roads and drivers safer on five continents, protecting millions of people every day. We are thrilled to partner with Najm on this groundbreaking telematics initiative and to bring safer roads to Saudi Arabia.”

Najm has already partnered with a number of insurance companies to adopt the new telematics system, and encourage customers to use sensors that measure driving behavior and compliance with traffic rules.

 


Saudi and Ukrainian foreign ministers discuss Russia-Ukraine conflict

Saudi and Ukrainian foreign ministers discuss Russia-Ukraine conflict
Updated 06 October 2024
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Saudi and Ukrainian foreign ministers discuss Russia-Ukraine conflict

Saudi and Ukrainian foreign ministers discuss Russia-Ukraine conflict
  • Discussion came amid escalating hostilities in Ukraine, with Russian forces launching overnight attack involving 87 Shahed drones

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister held a phone call on Sunday with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha to discuss relations and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan and the Ukrainian minister exchanged views on developments in the war and efforts to resolve the crisis, as well as other matters of mutual interest, SPA added.

The discussion came amid escalating hostilities in Ukraine, with Russian forces launching an overnight attack involving 87 Shahed drones and various types of missiles.

The assault followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s announcement of a “victory plan,” which he plans to present at the Oct. 12 Ramstein group meeting, where nations supplying arms to Ukraine will gather.

Zelensky’s plan, which includes Ukraine’s NATO membership and the provision of long-range missiles, was shared with US President Joe Biden last week.

Zelensky praised Ukraine’s troops for their resilience, stating that their capabilities were enhanced with sufficient weaponry. He urged Ukraine’s allies to take more decisive action to accelerate the end of the conflict.

“(The troops) demonstrate what Ukrainians are capable of when they have enough weapons and sufficient range,” he said in a statement on social media.

“We will keep convincing our partners that our drones alone are not enough. More decisive steps are needed — and the end of this war will be closer.”


Saudi FM meets with Solomon Islands officials in Riyadh

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele. (SPA)
Updated 06 October 2024
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Saudi FM meets with Solomon Islands officials in Riyadh

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele. (SPA)
  • An agreement on mutual exemption from short-stay visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports was signed between the two countries

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received the prime and foreign ministers of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele and Peter Shanel Agovaka in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, the officials reviewed relations between the Kingdom and the Solomon Islands and ways to enhance and develop them in various fields.

They also discussed intensifying joint coordination on many issues of interest to the two countries.

An agreement on mutual exemption from short-stay visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports was signed between the two countries during the meeting.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives  Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland in Riyadh on Sunday. (SPA)

Prince Faisal also met with Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland separately on Sunday.

During the meeting, the officials discussed opportunities to enhance Saudi-Commonwealth cooperation and topics of common interest.


Riyadh hosts forum on Arabic language computing

Riyadh hosts forum on Arabic language computing
Updated 06 October 2024
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Riyadh hosts forum on Arabic language computing

Riyadh hosts forum on Arabic language computing
  • The event drew participants from local, regional, and international institutions, along with researchers from 22 countries
  • he conference aims to foster collaboration between computational experts and linguists

RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launched its third international conference on Sunday in Riyadh, called “Arabic Language Computing and Linguistic Data Enrichment.”

The event drew participants from local, regional, and international institutions, along with researchers from 22 countries, who focused on computational linguistics, computer science, and the Arabic language.

The conference aims to foster collaboration between computational experts and linguists, bridging knowledge gaps and showcasing key projects in Arabic language computing.

It seeks to enrich Arabic language datasets to enhance artificial intelligence models and support Arabic language processing.

Abdullah Al-Washmi, the academy’s secretary-general, spoke of the need to improve academic practices in the Arab world and provide a platform for discussing challenges and opportunities in linguistic data quality and accessibility.

Topics include machine learning, speech-to-text conversion, and automated text recognition, as well as the use of computational linguistics in Arabic language learning, digital dictionary techniques, and linguistic corpus analysis.

Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Mahyobi, an associate professor of computational linguistics at Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, said that research would result in more objective and precise language analysis results.

He noted that automation eliminated subjective guesswork, leading to reliable and verified outcomes.

Al-Mahyobi added that automating language processing could revolutionize machine translation, error detection, speech recognition, and text compression and indexing.

He said that Arabic’s structured morphological, syntactical, and lexical systems made it particularly suited for advanced digital processing.


Saudi woman transforms Arabic learning for children with interactive calligraphy game

Saudi woman transforms Arabic learning for children with interactive calligraphy game
Updated 06 October 2024
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Saudi woman transforms Arabic learning for children with interactive calligraphy game

Saudi woman transforms Arabic learning for children with interactive calligraphy game
  • Lujain Abulfaraj established “Akwan” (universes in Arabic) to enrich language learning for children a

RIYADH: Driven by her passion for the Arabic language, Saudi woman Lujain Abulfaraj has embarked on a mission to make it more engaging for children. After noticing her son’s disinterest in Arabic, she sought a solution.

In 2015, Abulfaraj enrolled in a design program dedicated to exploring the beauty of Arabic calligraphy and its potential as an educational tool, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Realizing its ability to be both entertaining and instructive, she created a game featuring large Arabic letters that could be arranged into words for play.

This led her to establish a venture aimed at enriching language learning for children. In 2020, she introduced “Akwan” (universes in Arabic), a set of magnetic bricks inspired by Arabic calligraphy, designed to make learning interactive and enjoyable for children.

At the Riyadh International Book Fair, Abulfaraj highlighted the boundless creative possibilities “Akwan” offers children, SPA reported.

She praised the Ministry of Culture for its efforts in revitalizing Saudi culture, particularly the language, and for supporting young talent in the country.

In recognition of her dedication, the Ministry of Culture nominated Abulfaraj for the 2023 Cultural Awards in architecture and design, where she became one of the top three finalists in the Kingdom.

Her work also earned the “Designed in Saudi” seal.


Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform

Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform
Updated 06 October 2024
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Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform

Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform
  • The deal was signed on the sidelines of the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition
  • The agreement will help enthusiasts form falconry clubs and produce supplies via the Hawi platform

RIYADH: Saudi Falcons Club’s CEO Talal Al-Shamaisi, and Khalid Al-Baker, the Quality of Life Program’s CEO, have signed a memorandum of cooperation to support falconry and establish amateur clubs through Hawi, the national hobbies portal.

The deal was signed on the sidelines of the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition, which is being held in Malham, Riyadh, until Oct. 12, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The agreement will help enthusiasts form falconry clubs and produce supplies via the Hawi platform. It will also facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration to promote falconry and enhance the community’s cultural and recreational life.

Hawi, an initiative of the Quality of Life Program, aims to stimulate the hobbies sector by creating clubs while providing a supportive environment.

The memorandum supports the club’s goals to increase the number of falconry practitioners, preserve cultural heritage, promote environmental awareness, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for falconry.

Separately, the Saudi Falcons Club and King Khalid University have signed a memorandum of cooperation to implement awareness initiatives and rehabilitation programs related to falcons and falconry.

The agreement also includes research and training programs in falconry. It aims to attract investors, share data and studies, and collaborate on events, exhibitions, and conferences.