Derq moves into Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program

Detroit-based startup Derq recently announced it would join the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program.

The program connects an ecosystem of smart city providers with cities, municipalities, government agencies, and enterprises to accelerate the transformation of city infrastructure and services.

Derq started life as an MIT-spinoff and brings its artificial intelligence (AI) analytics platform with the goal of making cities smarter and safer for all road users and enabling the deployment of autonomous vehicles at scale. Derq now has live deployments in the USA, Europe, and the UAE.

According to a 2018 World Health Organization study, there are an estimated 1.35 million traffic fatalities every year due to largely preventable crashes. Derq said its technology could help eliminate road fatalities.

As part of the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program, Derq will highlight a few of its industry-leading AI solutions powered by the Derq Platform, including Derq INSIGHT, which generates an array of real-time safety and traffic insights, providing up-to-date, accurate and granular data. This enables in-depth analysis of safety issues, countermeasure development and traffic performance assessment.

Derq will also highlight Derq SENSE, an edge-based solution that provides real-time infrastructure-based analytics for off-board cooperative perception and traffic management applications, including V2X applications for connected and autonomous vehicles, adaptive traffic management, and smart pedestrian crosswalks.

As a member of the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program, Derq said it would work to fast-track the transformation of cities into safer, smarter environments and help them deliver greater efficiencies, cost savings, safety, and sustainability.

Georges Aoude, CEO and co-founder of Derq, said that joining the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program would “help accelerate the deployment of our cutting-edge AI solutions to improve road safety and mobility today, and prepare our partners for the future of connected and autonomous transportation.”

Sanjeet Pandit, senior director, business development and global head of Smart Cities, Qualcomm Technologies, said Derq INSIGHT and Derq SENSE “will support the deployment of end-to-end safety and traffic solutions for cities and spaces.”

Derq recently partnered with CT Group, one of the US's largest distributors of traffic signal control and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) equipment, to distribute its AI video analytics solutions and traffic and safety insights across its network in the US.