Sony Group (TYO:6758) has upgraded its advanced soccer officiating technology in time for this week's FIFA World Cup opening, shortening the time required for play reviews, Nikkei Asia reported Friday.

The updated Hawk-Eye system, developed by Sony-owned Hawk-Eye Innovations, uses artificial intelligence that automatically determines if a ball has traveled out of bounds, the report said.

The changes aim to remove the minutes-long delays seen in previous tournaments, according to the report.

The technology will also track offside violations faster by notifying on-field referees, the report said.

Meanwhile, FIFA technology partner Lenovo Group (HKG:0992) will launch 3D player avatars to recreate offside decisions and provide participating countries with the FIFA AI Pro tool for tactical analysis, the report said.

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