Finalists with AI- and 5G-driven ideas to make roads safer gathered at Istanbul Technical University (ITÜ) for the last stage of Turkcell's "5G and Artificial Intelligence for Smart Road Safety Competition," held as part of Teknofest 2026.
The competition, organized in cooperation with the T3 Foundation, attracted 745 teams from more than 150 universities across 11 countries, including Türkiye, Azerbaijan and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Twenty teams advanced to the final round after qualifying through preliminary stages involving 163 shortlisted teams.
Finalists tested their solutions using Türkiye's domestically produced Togg electric vehicle, developing systems designed to detect road hazards and driver errors by combining artificial intelligence with 5G connectivity.
Turkcell CEO Ali Taha Koç said technology gains value when it addresses real needs.
"At Turkcell, we have been supporting the dreams and goals of our young people for 32 years. The Smart Road Safety Competition, featuring 5G and Artificial Intelligence, is a reflection of this vision. It is also a highly valuable initiative that showcases our young people's potential to create technology," Koç said.
He recalled the launch of 5G in Türkiye this April.
"5G now transmits data at high speed, artificial intelligence gives meaning to that data, and human intelligence directs technology," said Koç.
"Our young finalists have combined these capabilities to create safer roads. Every project they have presented also makes a concrete contribution to Türkiye's National Technology Initiative," he noted.
"Developing smart road safety systems using domestic technologies is of strategic importance for Türkiye's digital future."
The competition focused on demonstrating how 5G's low-latency connectivity and artificial intelligence can be integrated into intelligent transportation systems.
Teams developed applications capable of analyzing data in real time while dynamically managing network resources. Participants also utilized GSMA Open Gateway standards, including Number Verification services that enable password-free user authentication, and Quality on Demand technology to ensure low-latency, high-quality connectivity for mission-critical applications.
Three special awards were presented during the final round. The Polaris team from Çukurova University won the Best Application Architecture Award, while the university's Eureka team received the Best Presentation Award. The Turkcell Special Award went to the Mimik team from Karadeniz Technical University.
The winners of the overall competition will be announced during this year's edition of Teknofest, the country's largest aerospace and technology festival, which will be held in southeastern Şanlıurfa province from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4.
