The City of Long Beach has embarked on a groundbreaking public-private partnership with Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, supported by Mercedes-Benz USA Urban Mobility Solutions, and technology firm Xtelligent, to pioneer advanced transportation technology systems. This collaboration is set to revolutionize urban transportation management within Long Beach and its surrounding areas, fostering enhanced liveability and promoting environmental sustainability.
“This innovative partnership will ensure Long Beach remains at the forefront of cutting-edge transportation technologies,” stated Mayor Robert Garcia. “This project will not only highlight the skills of our city’s workforce but also create valuable STEM learning opportunities for our students, underscoring our city’s ongoing dedication to developing a technology-centric ecosystem.”
This ambitious public-private initiative is structured over a 10-month period and encompasses several key components designed to optimize urban mobility:
- Intelligent Traffic Management System Testing: Implementation and testing of an intelligent intersection control system designed to dynamically adjust traffic signal timings at selected intersections, enhancing traffic flow and safety.
- Data-Driven Transportation Policy Insights: Comprehensive data analysis utilizing information from connected test vehicle fleets and existing city-wide physical sensors. This analysis aims to provide actionable insights for refining future transportation policies and traffic engineering strategies.
- Community STEM Education Workshop: A dedicated community youth workshop for Long Beach residents and students, aimed at fostering interest and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
This partnership strongly aligns with the objectives of the Long Beach Accelerator Program, reinforcing the City’s commitment to collaborating with local businesses on pioneering technologies that generate civic impact. Simultaneously, it underscores the importance of nurturing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education opportunities for students within Long Beach. Pending health and safety guidelines, the community-based workshop will specifically focus on delivering STEM education to local students, with a particular emphasis on engaging under-resourced communities.
The project is also a significant element of Long Beach’s broader Smart City Initiative, which strategically leverages data and technology to address urban challenges and improve the quality of life for its residents.
The collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and Xtelligent underscores Long Beach’s forward-thinking vision to advance environmental sustainability and digital inclusion, ensuring equitable access to digital literacy training, internet resources, technology devices, and other essential digital inclusion resources for all citizens. 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.
“Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America is excited to collaborate with Xtelligent and the City of Long Beach to explore innovative solutions to complex urban transportation challenges. Through our test vehicle fleet, we aim to contribute vital data to optimize traffic signal timing and effectively reduce congestion,” commented Philipp Skogstad, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America.
Mercedes-Benz, Xtelligent, and the City of Long Beach prioritize data protection, ensuring responsible data handling throughout the project. Mercedes-Benz and Xtelligent are committed to sharing test vehicle data ethically, with appropriate notices and consents. Any data shared with third parties will be anonymized and aggregated to maintain privacy. This collaborative project is a joint effort involving the City’s Technology and Innovation Department, Public Works Department, and Economic Development Department.
“This partnership embodies the power of collaboration between a forward-thinking city, a leading automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and an innovative venture, all working towards a shared, impactful goal,” said Michael Lim, cofounder of Xtelligent. “We are enthusiastic about leveraging our collective resources to demonstrate how technology can enhance the liveability, vitality, and sustainability of Long Beach.”
Upon the conclusion of this pilot project, the team will thoroughly evaluate the outcomes and explore opportunities for scaling the initiative to maximize its impact.
About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach, a vibrant city of approximately 470,000 residents, is recognized for its innovative spirit and numerous awards. It offers a rich array of world-class amenities characteristic of a major metropolitan city, while maintaining distinct and diverse neighborhoods along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to iconic attractions such as the Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and a diverse range of museums and theaters. It boasts a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, and the Port of Long Beach, alongside award-winning City departments dedicated to Health and Human Services, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services, and Public Works, among others. The City also supports a respected university and city college, historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, extensive beaches, marinas, bike paths, and a Bike Share program.
For further details about the City of Long Beach, please visit longbeach.gov. Explore LBTV at longbeach.gov/lbtv/about-us/. Stay updated with the latest city news on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America (MBRDNA) is at the forefront of envisioning, designing, engineering, testing, and certifying the most desirable vehicles in North America and globally. With six locations, MBRDNA’s diverse activities span from pioneering EV battery research to refining hybrid powertrain calibration and certification, and from telematics advancements to autonomous driving software development. Their expertise extends from cutting-edge exterior design to enhancing user experience (UX). MBRDNA is not only shaping the future of cars but also driving innovation in software, advanced technology, and groundbreaking solutions. Their dedication to innovation is a cornerstone of Mercedes-Benz’s leadership in the automotive industry.
Mercedes-Benz Urban Mobility Solutions: Enhancing City Life
The Mercedes-Benz Urban Mobility Solutions division is dedicated to enhancing urban living by developing safe, sustainable, efficient, and accessible mobility products. This division leverages Mercedes-Benz’s extensive mobility expertise to create shared value within cities. By collaborating closely with city officials, public transport agencies, cross-industry partners, and internal and external experts, the Urban Mobility Solutions team proactively identifies and addresses emerging urban challenges and trends. The overarching goal is to cultivate a world-leading portfolio of urban vehicles, data-driven mobility products, and citizen-centric urban mobility systems designed for both 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 state-of-the-art sensing and learning capabilities, Xtelligent significantly improves traffic signal network control for cities. This innovation fosters a more cooperative, multimodal, and sustainable urban transportation system for the future. As an impact-driven venture, Xtelligent is committed to deploying innovative technologies ethically, transparently, and accountably, always prioritizing societal well-being.
Further information about Mercedes-Benz is available at www.mercedes-benz.com. Press information and digital resources for journalists and media professionals can be accessed on the Mercedes me media online platform at media.mercedes-benz.com and on the Daimler global media site at media.daimler.com. Stay updated on current topics and events related to Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans on their @MB_Press Twitter channel at www.twitter.com/MB_Press.
