Technology News in English
Latest technology headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Using electricity at night can save money: ACM wants power rates to depend on the time of day
The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is proposing time-based electricity transport tariffs to reduce peak grid pressure. By encouraging consumers to use electricity during off-peak hour...
Dutch online stores take on scammers and fake webshops
The number of victims of fake webshops in the Netherlands has risen to 1.2 million, prompting industry group Thuiswinkel.org to launch a new monitoring system to detect and block fraudulent sites. Whi...
Essent expands services with fast charging for electric cars
Essent is becoming a major provider of public fast-charging for electric vehicles in the Netherlands by rebranding 79 locations and 370 charging points. The expansion, achieved through a collaboration...
No trains between Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Haarlem due to power failure
A power failure has caused a suspension of intercity train services between Haarlem and Leiden. The disruption is expected to continue until approximately 08:00 as maintenance crews work to restore po...
Defense wants to be on TikTok, but its own ban is holding the armed forces back
The Dutch Ministry of Defence wants to use TikTok for recruitment and to combat misinformation, but remains restricted by a 2023 government ban over espionage concerns. Officials are currently evaluat...
Electric cars are driving further into Europe, but watch out for hidden costs in France
Dutch electric vehicle drivers are increasingly traveling further across Europe, but the ANWB warns that hidden costs like blocking fees remain a problem in countries such as France. Drivers are advis...
Limburg homes lifted on 'trays' to prevent flood damage
To combat recurring flooding from the Maas river, homes in the Limburg village of Well are being elevated by over 1.5 meters to protect them from future rising water levels. This innovative engineerin...
Vinted packages arrive late or at different locations when delivery system is full
Vinted is experiencing capacity issues within its VintedGo locker network, leading to shipment delays and the rerouting of packages to alternative pickup locations. To address the problem, the company...
Alcohol-monitoring anklet to be introduced for alcohol-fueled violence and DUI offenders
The Dutch parliament is moving to introduce mandatory alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelets for offenders convicted of alcohol-fueled violence or severe traffic offenses. The device will monitor alcohol ...
Amazon Prime Video secures global streaming rights for the Emmys
Amazon Prime Video has secured the exclusive global rights to stream the Emmy Awards starting in 2027, replacing the traditional rotation system used by American networks. The ceremony will be availab...
European tech commissioner reprimands US companies: 'They just need to follow our rules'
European Commissioner Henna Virkkunen has stated that American tech companies must strictly follow European regulations, including platforms like X. Her current priorities include implementing new pol...
Jaguar presents new electric car in higher price range
Jaguar has introduced the Type 01, an ultra-powerful electric luxury sedan capable of reaching 96 kilometers per hour in 3.2 seconds with a 720-kilometer range. Set to launch in early 2027 for approxi...
IMF: Public debt, energy demand and energy prices threaten global economy
The IMF has warned that the global economy faces significant threats from rising national debt, increasing energy demand driven by AI, and high energy prices. These economic pressures are creating gro...
GVB sees future for self-driving shuttles in Amsterdam: An excellent opportunity to address labor shortages
The Amsterdam transport operator GVB plans to test small, driverless shuttle buses within the next three years. This initiative aims to address severe labor shortages and eventually transition the cit...
VNO-NCW chief warns unions and cabinet: 'We are heading down the Belgian path this way'
VNO-NCW chairman Coen van Oostrom has warned the Dutch government and labor unions that the current economic model is unsustainable and risks leading the country toward a decline similar to Belgium. H...
Cabinet plans to require homeowners to install hybrid heat pumps starting in 2029
Beginning in 2029, homeowners in the Netherlands must install hybrid heat pumps instead of gas-fired boilers when replacing their heating systems. The government plans to exempt apartments and monumen...
Fewer essay assignments at UvA due to AI fraud risks, sparking student union discontent
The University of Amsterdam is reducing essay assignments to combat the risk of AI-assisted cheating, a move that has drawn criticism from the student union ASVA. While educators are seeking alternati...
No power and no signal, but you need to call emergency services: what then?
The Amsterdam municipality conducted an emergency drill on Tuesday simulating a large-scale, long-term power outage to test local response capabilities. Mayor Femke Halsema attended the exercise, whic...
Mega-merger in streaming world is a fact: Skydance acquires Warner Bros. Discovery
Paramount Skydance has completed a 110 billion dollar acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, merging two major Hollywood studios and their streaming services into a single entity named Skydance. The m...
Andrew Garfield loved OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, until he played him
Actor Andrew Garfield initially admired OpenAI CEO Sam Altman but changed his opinion after studying him closely for a new film role. He now emphasizes the importance of holding powerful tech leaders ...
ChatGPT to invisibly watermark texts to identify them as AI-generated
OpenAI is introducing an invisible AI watermark called textGrain to comply with European regulations requiring AI-generated text to be identifiable. The watermark embeds a specific word-choice pattern...
Strange notification in ASOS clothing app, company appears to have been hacked
ASOS app users received unauthorized push notifications on Tuesday claiming that the company had been hacked. While the retail giant has yet to comment on the breach of its cloud environment, the repo...
UK regulator investigates Meta over new Instagram feature
The British regulator Ofcom is investigating Meta over its new Instagram Instants feature, citing concerns that the company failed to conduct adequate safety risk assessments. Regulators argue that Me...
Elon Musk becomes a trillionaire again thanks to SpaceX and Tesla stock gains
Elon Musk has regained his trillionaire status with a net worth of 1.04 trillion dollars following stock gains in SpaceX and Tesla. The increase was fueled by positive company performance, including a...
AI-generated child abuse imagery on the rise: 'No longer distinguishable from reality'
AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery has surged by 40 percent in the first half of this year, with experts warning that these images are increasingly difficult to distinguish from reality. In the N...
Cabinet opens purse strings to tackle poor regional accessibility: 300 million for self-driving buses and more
The Dutch government plans to invest 300 million euros annually from 2030 to improve regional public transport accessibility and address staff shortages. Key measures include testing autonomous buses ...
Helmet mandates, high fines, and reflective clothing: how cities are curbing e-scooters
Amsterdam is preparing for an increase in e-scooter usage by examining stricter safety regulations implemented in other European cities. Authorities are considering measures like mandatory helmets and...
Fourteen children and relationships with stars: the love life of Elon Musk
Elon Musk has fathered fourteen children through various relationships with several women, including Justine Wilson, Talulah Riley, Grimes, Shivon Zilis, and Ashley St. Clair. His personal life is cha...
More companies adopt flexible power grid usage as waitlist growth slows
The number of businesses waiting for an electricity connection in the Netherlands remains high at over 15,000, although the growth rate is slowing due to infrastructure upgrades and flexible energy us...
Positive news about the crowded power grid: it seems to be leveling off
Waiting lists for business electricity connections in the Netherlands have stopped growing, with some regions even seeing a slight decline due to increased grid flexibility and new deposit requirement...