The City of Long Beach is embarking on a groundbreaking public-private partnership with Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, supported by Mercedes-Benz USA Urban Mobility Solutions, and Xtelligent. This collaboration is set to revolutionize urban transportation management, enhancing both the 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. He further emphasized the project’s benefits, highlighting that it “will showcase our city’s skilled workforce, create more STEM learning opportunities for our students, and underscores our city’s ongoing dedication to fostering a technology-centric ecosystem.”
This innovative project is structured to unfold over a 10-month period and encompasses several key initiatives:
- Intelligent Traffic Management: Implementation and testing of an intelligent intersection control system. This system is designed to dynamically adjust traffic signal timings at selected intersections, aiming to optimize traffic flow and enhance safety.
- Data-Driven Transportation Policy: Comprehensive data analysis leveraging insights from connected test vehicle fleets and existing city-wide physical sensors. This data will be instrumental in informing future transportation policies and traffic engineering decisions, leading to more efficient and responsive urban planning.
- STEM Education for Local Youth: A community youth workshop specifically designed for Long Beach residents and students. This workshop will focus on providing valuable STEM education opportunities, particularly for students from under-resourced communities, fostering the next generation of innovators.
This partnership strongly aligns with the goals of the Long Beach Accelerator Program, reinforcing the City’s commitment to collaborating with local businesses on pioneering technologies and initiatives that have a significant civic impact. Furthermore, it underscores the dedication to nurturing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills among Long Beach students. The community-based workshop, pending health and safety approvals, will be a cornerstone in delivering STEM education to local students, with a particular focus on reaching under-resourced communities and promoting inclusivity in technology education.
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The project is also a vital component of Long Beach’s broader Smart City Initiative, which aims to strategically utilize data and technology to address urban challenges and improve the quality of life for all Long Beach residents. By leveraging technology in innovative ways, Long Beach is proactively seeking solutions to enhance urban living and create a more connected and efficient city.
The collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and Xtelligent directly reflects Long Beach’s overarching vision of promoting environmental sustainability and digital inclusion. The city is dedicated to ensuring equitable access and utilization of digital literacy training, internet resources, technology devices, and other essential digital inclusion resources. Addressing transportation challenges is a key priority for Mercedes-Benz, and this unique partnership provides a valuable platform to tackle pressing urban issues such as traffic congestion and associated environmental emissions.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Xtelligent and the City of Long Beach to explore innovative solutions to urban transportation challenges. We are confident that our test vehicle fleet will provide crucial data to optimize traffic signal timing and effectively reduce congestion,” stated Philipp Skogstad, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America. Mercedes-Benz, with its deep expertise in automotive technology and urban mobility solutions, is ideally positioned to contribute significantly to this project.
Data protection is paramount for Mercedes-Benz, Xtelligent, and the City of Long Beach. All parties are committed to responsible data handling and usage. Mercedes-Benz and Xtelligent will ensure that test vehicle data is shared with appropriate transparency and consent protocols. Any data shared with third parties will be rigorously anonymized and aggregated to protect individual privacy. This collaborative project is a joint undertaking by the City’s Technology and Innovation Department, Public Works Department, and Economic Development Department, highlighting a city-wide commitment to innovation and progress.
Michael Lim, cofounder of Xtelligent, emphasized the collaborative spirit of the partnership, stating, “This partnership exemplifies the remarkable outcomes achievable when a forward-thinking city, a leading automotive manufacturer like Mercedes-Benz, and an innovative venture unite with a shared, meaningful objective.” Xtelligent brings its cutting-edge expertise in traffic management technology to this initiative, further strengthening the project’s potential impact. “We are excited to leverage our combined resources to demonstrate how technology can significantly enhance the liveability, vitality, and sustainability of Long Beach,” Lim added.
Upon the conclusion of this pilot project, the team will conduct a thorough evaluation of the results and explore opportunities for scaling and expanding the successful initiatives. This partnership between Mercedes-Benz of Long Beach and the City of Long Beach represents a significant step forward in creating smarter, more sustainable, and more livable urban environments.
About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach, a vibrant city of approximately 470,000 residents, is renowned for its award-winning amenities and innovative spirit. Offering the rich cultural experiences of a major metropolitan city while maintaining distinct and diverse neighborhoods along the California coast, Long Beach is a full-service charter city. Key attractions include the Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Pacific, numerous museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, and the bustling Port of Long Beach. The city is also proud of its award-winning City departments, including Health and Human Services, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services, and Public Works. Long Beach boasts a respected university and city college, historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beautiful beaches, marinas, bike paths, and a convenient Bike Share program.
For more information about the City of Long Beach, please visit longbeach.gov. Explore LBTV at longbeach.gov/lbtv/about-us/. Stay updated with the latest Long Beach news on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America is dedicated to envisioning, designing, engineering, testing, and certifying the most desirable vehicles in North America. With six locations, the organization develops and certifies vehicles for both the US and global markets. Their diverse work encompasses EV battery research, hybrid powertrain calibration and certification, telematics, autonomous driving software, advanced exterior design, and user experience (UX) innovations. Focusing on cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking innovation, Mercedes-Benz R&D is shaping the future of mobility.
Mercedes-Benz Urban Mobility Solutions at a glance
Mercedes-Benz Urban Mobility Solutions is committed to enhancing city liveability through safe, sustainable, efficient, and accessible mobility products. Leveraging Mercedes-Benz’s mobility expertise, this division collaborates with cities to create shared value. Working closely with city representatives, public transport agencies, cross-industry partners, and internal and external experts, the team proactively identifies and addresses emerging urban challenges and trends. The overarching goal is to develop a world-leading portfolio of urban vehicles, data-driven mobility products, and citizen-centric urban mobility systems for present and future generations.
About Xtelligent
Xtelligent is a U.S. government-backed transportation infrastructure venture founded by leading researchers from the University of Southern California, University of California, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. By integrating advanced decentralized control algorithm research with innovative sensing and learning capabilities, Xtelligent significantly improves urban traffic signal network control. This contributes to a more cooperative, multimodal, and sustainable urban transportation system. As an impact venture, Xtelligent is dedicated to ethically, transparently, and accountably deploying innovative technologies to serve societal well-being.
Further information about Mercedes-Benz is available at www.mercedes-benz.com. Press information and digital services for journalists can be found on the Mercedes me media online platform at media.mercedes-benz.com and the Daimler global media site at media.daimler.com. For current topics and events related to Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans, follow @MB_Press on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MB_Press.
