Derq Appoints Former GM OnStar Chief Architect Ty Beltramo as Chief Technology Officer
Beltramo succeeds founding CTO Amer Abufadel, who transitions to senior advisor.
October 7, 2025 — DETROIT, MI — Derq, the MIT spinoff transforming road safety through artificial intelligence, today announced the appointment of Ty Beltramo as Chief Technology Officer to drive the next phase of AI-powered road safety. Beltramo succeeds co-founder Amer Abufadel, who moves to a senior advisor role after leading the company’s technology development since its founding in 2016.
Beltramo joins Derq at a pivotal time as the company accelerates deployment of its AI platform across more than 40 agencies in the United States, Canada, and the GCC region. As CTO, he will lead Derq’s technology strategy and engineering teams, with a focus on scaling AI systems that enable cities to prevent crashes and optimize traffic flow in real-time.
Beltramo brings more than 25 years leading technology transformations that transportation agencies are now navigating. As chief architect at General Motors' OnStar, he transformed the solution from an aftermarket add-on to factory-installed technology, scaling from 30,000 to 3 million users in three years. As CTO of MapQuest, he modernized infrastructure and launched 20 products across navigation and data services. Most recently, as a Fellow at CGS Advisors, he advised fintech and consumer electronics clients on deploying agentic AI systems for complex, regulated workflows and developed an enterprise architecture for an EV startup.
“Ty’s hands-on technical expertise and proven record of scaling mission-critical systems will help us bring AI-powered road safety to scale worldwide,” said Dr. Georges Aoude, CEO and co-founder of Derq. “Amer’s leadership has been foundational in building our technology, and we’re grateful for his continued guidance as we move into this next chapter.”
Derq’s hardware-agnostic AI technology seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure to detect, classify, and predict road user behavior in real-time. Its flagship products, Derq SENSE and Derq INSIGHT, help cities reduce crashes and improve mobility without costly infrastructure overhauls. In Sarasota, Florida, the company’s technology helped reduce crashes by 33% year-over-year, including a 90% reduction at one intersection—results certified by the Florida Department of Transportation.
“From my early days at OnStar, safety has been a through-line in my career,” said Beltramo. “What excites me about Derq is the ability to combine spatial data, systems thinking, and advanced AI to prevent crashes before they happen. This is about scaling safety for every road user, everywhere.”
Derq’s platform transforms raw data into actionable insights, identifying safety hotspots, generating V2X messages, and optimizing traffic signals to prevent collisions. Protected by 18 issued patents, the platform has earned global recognition from leaders in AI and mobility.
Visit https://en.derq.com/ for more information.
About Derq
Derq is an AI-powered intelligent transportation company helping cities and agencies prevent crashes, solve complex road safety challenges, and improve traffic flow. An MIT spinoff founded in 2016, Derq's award-winning technology is deployed across more than 40 agencies across the U.S., Canada, and the GCC region, with 18 patents and global recognition from leaders in AI and mobility. Visit https://en.derq.com/ to learn more.
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