The City of Long Beach has teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to pioneer advanced transportation technology systems, marking a significant step towards enhancing urban mobility and environmental sustainability. This public-private partnership, supported by Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Mercedes-Benz USA Urban Mobility Solutions, and Xtelligent, aims to transform transportation management within Long Beach and its surrounding areas.
Mayor Robert Garcia emphasized the city’s commitment to technological advancement, stating, “This public-private partnership will keep Long Beach at the forefront of emerging transportation technologies. This project will showcase our city’s skilled workforce, provide more STEM learning opportunities for students, and represents our city’s continued commitment to building a technology focused ecosystem.” This initiative underscores Long Beach’s dedication to fostering innovation and creating a vibrant, future-ready urban environment, in collaboration with industry leaders like Mercedes-Benz.
Alt text: Long Beach City Hall building exterior, symbolizing the city’s commitment to public-private partnerships and urban development initiatives.
Project Components: Intelligent Transportation for Long Beach
This ambitious 10-month project will focus on several key areas designed to optimize traffic flow and gather crucial transportation data:
- Intelligent Intersection Control System: A core component of the project involves testing an intelligent intersection control system. This system is designed to dynamically adjust traffic signal timings at selected intersections, aiming to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. By adapting in real-time to traffic conditions, this technology promises safer and more efficient intersections throughout Long Beach.
- Data-Driven Transportation Policy: The partnership will leverage data analytics from connected Mercedes-Benz test vehicles and existing city sensors. This comprehensive data collection effort will provide valuable insights into traffic patterns and urban mobility trends. The analysis of this data is intended to inform future transportation policies and traffic engineering decisions, leading to more effective and sustainable urban planning in Long Beach.
- STEM Education and Community Engagement: Recognizing the importance of community involvement and education, the project includes a community youth workshop. This workshop will offer STEM learning opportunities to Long Beach residents and students, particularly those from under-resourced communities. In collaboration with the Long Beach Accelerator Program, this initiative aims to cultivate local talent and foster interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics among Long Beach’s youth.
Alt text: Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America facility, highlighting their expertise and innovation in automotive technology and urban mobility solutions for cities like Long Beach.
Long Beach’s Smart City Vision and Mercedes-Benz’s Urban Mobility Expertise
This partnership is deeply rooted in Long Beach’s Smart City Initiative, a program dedicated to utilizing data and technology to address urban challenges and improve the quality of life for its residents. By collaborating with Mercedes-Benz, Long Beach is reinforcing its commitment to environmental sustainability and digital inclusion. The project directly addresses the need for equitable access to digital resources and aims to bridge the digital divide within the community.
Mercedes-Benz Urban Mobility Solutions brings its extensive expertise in developing sustainable and efficient urban mobility solutions to this collaboration. Philipp Skogstad, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, stated, “We are excited to partner with Xtelligent and the City of Long Beach to research solutions to urban transportation challenges. With our test vehicle fleet, we hope to provide key data to optimize traffic signal timing and reduce congestion.” For Mercedes-Benz, Long Beach presents a unique opportunity to test and refine its urban mobility technologies in a real-world environment, contributing to solving critical issues like traffic congestion and emissions in urban centers.
Alt text: Xtelligent logo, representing their innovative approach to transportation infrastructure and their role in the Long Beach Mercedes-Benz smart city project.
Data Responsibility and Future Scalability
Ensuring data protection and responsible data usage is a paramount concern for all partners involved. Mercedes-Benz, Xtelligent, and the City of Long Beach are committed to upholding the highest standards of data privacy. Data collected from Mercedes-Benz test vehicles will be anonymized and aggregated before being shared with third parties, and all data sharing will be conducted with appropriate notices and consents.
Michael Lim, cofounder of Xtelligent, emphasized the collaborative spirit of the project: “This partnership represents the best of what a forward-thinking city, leading automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and innovative venture can uniquely enable when collaborating towards a common, worthwhile goal. We’re excited to use our collective resources to develop and demonstrate how technology can improve the liveability, vitality, and sustainability of Long Beach.”
Upon completion of the pilot project, the team will thoroughly evaluate the results and explore opportunities to expand and scale the initiative. This Long Beach Mercedes-Benz partnership is poised to set a new benchmark for urban transportation innovation and public-private collaboration, potentially serving as a model for other cities seeking to create smarter, more sustainable urban environments.
