DeGould

About DeGould

DeGould is a British company specializing in automated vehicle inspection systems for the automotive industry. Founded in 2011 by Dan and Rachel Gould, the company originated from an idea to modernize the inconsistent vehicle handover process in the car rental sector using digital imaging. Dan Gould's background in digital imaging led to the development of an automated photo booth, which captured the attention of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in 2014 for their own supply chain quality control. This marked the company's pivot to serving original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

The company's core business revolves around providing hardware and software solutions that automate vehicle inspections, replacing subjective and time-consuming manual checks. DeGould serves a global client base of leading OEMs, ports, and logistics providers. Its business model involves selling and installing its proprietary inspection booths, the 'Auto-scan' and the smaller 'Auto-compact', and providing ongoing support and software services. The technology is designed to be integrated into existing production lines or used as drive-through systems at various points in the supply chain.

DeGould's systems use a combination of ultra-high-resolution cameras, patented lighting technology, and artificial intelligence to capture hundreds of images and detect surface defects like dents and scratches with high accuracy. The AI algorithms are trained on a dataset of over 100 million vehicle images, enabling the detection of defects as small as 1.0mm and performing specification checks. The collected data is accessible via a cloud-based dashboard, creating a 'digital vehicle passport' that tracks a car's condition throughout the logistics chain, helping to assign liability for damage. The company has secured significant investment from industry players, including a Series A round led by Wallenius Wilhelmsen, a global logistics company, and funding from Associated British Ports.