The City of Long Beach has forged a dynamic public-private partnership with Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz USA Urban Mobility Solutions, and Xtelligent. This innovative collaboration is set to pioneer advanced transportation technology systems, aiming to significantly improve urban transportation management and enhance both liveability and environmental sustainability within Long Beach and its surrounding areas.
“This public-private partnership will ensure Long Beach remains at the cutting edge of emerging transportation technologies,” stated Mayor Robert Garcia. “This project will highlight our city’s skilled workforce, create expanded STEM learning opportunities for our students, and demonstrates our city’s ongoing dedication to fostering a technology-focused ecosystem.”
This collaborative project is structured to span ten months and encompasses several key initiatives:
- Implementation and testing of an intelligent intersection control system. This system is designed to dynamically adjust traffic signal timing at selected intersections, enhancing safety and traffic flow efficiency.
- Comprehensive data analysis utilizing connected test vehicle fleets and existing city-wide physical sensors. The insights derived from this data are intended to inform and improve future transportation policies and traffic engineering strategies.
- A community youth workshop specifically designed for Long Beach residents and students. This workshop aims to foster local engagement and provide educational opportunities in STEM fields.
This partnership is strategically aligned with the Long Beach Accelerator Program, reinforcing the City’s commitment to engaging local businesses in cutting-edge technology and civic impact initiatives. Furthermore, it is dedicated to nurturing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) opportunities for students within Long Beach. Pending health and safety guidelines, a community-based workshop will deliver STEM education to local students, with a particular focus on reaching under-resourced communities.
The project also represents a significant component of Long Beach’s broader Smart City Initiative. This initiative is focused on strategically leveraging data and technology to effectively address urban challenges and enhance the quality of life for Long Beach residents.
The public-private partnership with Mercedes-Benz and Xtelligent underscores Long Beach’s commitment to advancing environmental sustainability and digital inclusion. It aims to ensure equitable access and utilization of digital literacy training, internet resources, technology devices, and other vital digital inclusion resources for all residents. Addressing transportation challenges is a core focus for Mercedes-Benz, and this unique partnership provides a platform to potentially solve critical urban issues such as traffic congestion and associated emissions.
“We are excited to collaborate with Xtelligent and the City of Long Beach to explore innovative solutions to urban transportation challenges. Utilizing our test vehicle fleet, we are confident in our ability to contribute valuable data to optimize traffic signal timing and effectively reduce congestion,” stated Philipp Skogstad, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, highlighting the crucial role of Mercedes-Benz research & development in this project.
Data protection is paramount for Mercedes-Benz, Xtelligent, and the City of Long Beach. All parties are committed to responsible data handling. Mercedes-Benz and Xtelligent will ensure that test vehicle data is shared with appropriate notifications and consents, and any data shared with third parties will be anonymized and aggregated to protect privacy. This project is a collaborative effort involving the City’s Technology and Innovation Department, Public Works Department, and Economic Development Department, showcasing a unified city approach to innovation.
“This partnership embodies the optimal synergy between a forward-thinking city, a leading automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and an innovative venture. By collaborating towards a shared, impactful objective, we can uniquely create significant advancements,” said Michael Lim, cofounder of Xtelligent. “We are enthusiastic about leveraging our collective resources to develop and demonstrate the potential of technology to enhance the liveability, vitality, and sustainability of Long Beach.”
Upon the conclusion of this pilot project, the team will thoroughly evaluate the results and explore opportunities for scaling the initiative, aiming for broader urban impact and application of the developed technologies.
