Tech Digest daily roundup: Volvo to use Epic’s Unreal Engine in EVs

Volvo will be the latest automaker to tap into the graphical prowess of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. The Swedish automaker said it will partner with the Fortnite creator to bring “photorealistic visualization” into its next generation of electric vehicles. The crux of the Volvo / Epic partnership will be the “human-machine interface” (HMI), which, in the context of vehicle ownership, is another way to describe the way car owners interact with their vehicle’s software. Volvo says that Epic will help build a platform on which the automaker’s engineers can design software that will improve the HMI while also maintaining levels of safety that Volvo has staked much of its reputation on. The Verge 

The head of media regulator Ofcom says tech firms must do more to protect women online, after its report revealed they were more likely to be victims. Its report on UK media habits says women are more likely than men to face online abuse or see harmful content, and more likely to be distressed by it. Only 42% of the women in its survey said they felt comfortable about speaking freely online. Dame Melanie Dawes said firms should prioritise user safety over revenue. Ofcom is set to become the regulator of social-media platforms as part of the government’s Online Harms Bill, which puts the onus on tech companies to act swiftly to protect users and remove hateful content – or face steep fines. BBC 

Microsoft (MSFT) on Wednesday debuted its latest low-cost laptop for students and workers looking for a compact, Windows 11-powered system that won’t break the bank. Starting at $599, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is the follow-up to 2020’s Surface Laptop Go and gets faster performance and new replaceable components that Microsoft says will extend the usefulness of the Go 2. Microsoft’s latest laptop isn’t going to knock your socks off in the performance department, especially compared to the likes of the mighty Surface Laptop Studio. But its new 11th-generation Intel (INTC) Core i5 chip should provide more than enough power for web browsing, streaming movies, and video chatting. Yahoo!

Nintendo has been on a mission for a few years now to stomp out uploads of their game soundtracks to YouTube, and they’ve already purged thousands of tunes. It appears the Big N isn’t done yet, as they’ve hit yet another channel with a massive wave of copyright claims. The YouTube channel DeoxysPrime hosted a ton of Nintendo tracks, and the Big N has swooped in and hit them with over 500 copyright claims. Instead of trying to fight the machine, DeoxysPrime has decided to remove all Nintendo-related soundtracks from their channel. Go Nintendo

Elon Musk has demanded Tesla staff ditch home working as he launched an attack on HR teams being based in the wrong US state. Employees of the electric car-maker are now expected to spend a minimum of 40 hours a week in the office or be fired. A letter sent by Mr Musk to Tesla staff yesterday and leaked online this morning said: “This is less than we ask of factory workers. “If there are particularly exceptional contributors for whom this is impossible, I will review and approve those exceptions directly.” Telegraph