Safety

NSW government urged to investigate if transport department refused to share cost of sensors that would detect a person entering coupling areaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe potentially life-saving safety upgrades to Sydney’s light rail, which a former Transdev employee has alleged were cancelled in order to save money, would have only cost about $2.2m, according to the whistleblower.The New South Wales government has been urged to investigate whether its transport department declined to share the cost of installing sensors that would detect a person entering the coupling area between two joined trams after a fatal incident in 2023. Continue reading...

• OpenAI released its Child Safety Blueprint on April 8, 2026, to address rising AI-generated child sexual abuse material in the US. • The blueprint focuses on faster detection, improved reporting, and efficient investigations, responding to over 8,000 IWF reports in early 2025, up 14% year-over-year. • It targets criminals using AI for fake explicit images and grooming messages amid policymaker scrutiny.

Much is expected of Online Safety Act and less from free speech advocates leaving new boss in difficult placeIan Cheshire’s Ofcom intray is big. It is available online under the regulator’s plan for 2026/27 and covers an array of industries: telecoms; broadband; the postal service; media and the online world.It is the latter that it going to dominate his tenure. Ofcom oversees the Online Safety Act, the legislation that regulates social media in the UK. Much is expected of the act from internet safety campaigners, and a bit less from freedom of speech advocates, which leaves Cheshire in a difficult place. Continue reading...

• Luna Systems, founded at Dublin City University in 2020, has raised €1.5 million to develop AI-powered Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) for cycling and motorcycles. • The company's 2026 product launches include a dual AI camera system for e-bike and motorcycle manufacturers featuring collision warning, blindspot detection, and headway monitoring with smartphone integration. • The funding accelerates Luna Systems' transition to a full system provider, inspired by automotive ADAS technology adapted for two-wheeled transportation where fatality rates remain elevated.

• U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) led two bipartisan bills that passed the House unanimously on March 26, 2026, aimed at strengthening federal oversight and enhancing safety at federal facilities. • The legislation targets improvements in regulatory compliance and security protocols across government properties nationwide. • This rare unanimous support highlights cross-party consensus on bolstering federal infrastructure resilience amid rising security concerns.

• On March 25, 2026, the U.S. House passed H.R. 5103 by 218-206, establishing a federal commission on public safety in Washington, D.C., to formalize President Trump's March 2025 executive order promoting maximum immigration enforcement. • The commission, comprising federal officials, will develop policies redirecting law enforcement for arrests and deportations in DC, aiming to increase enforcement speed. • This partisan measure underscores Republican priorities on capital safety and immigration amid ongoing debates over federal versus local authority.