The City of Long Beach, California, has entered a public-private partnership with Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, which includes support from Mercedes-Benz USA Urban Mobility Solutions, and Xtelligent, a government backed transportation infrastructure venture. The aim of the partnership is to develop transportation technology systems that will improve urban transportation management and enhance livability and environmental sustainability in and around the city.
“This public-private partnership will keep Long Beach at the forefront of emerging transportation technologies,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “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.”
The project will span a period of 10 months and will include elements such as testing an intelligent intersection control system and data analysis of information gathered from connected test vehicle fleets and existing physical sensors around the city. The project is part of Long Beach’s Smart City Initiative which aims to leverage data and technology as strategic tools to solve challenges and improve the lives of Long Beach residents.
“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 toward a common, worthwhile goal,” said Michael Lim, cofounder of Xtelligent. “We’re excited to use our collective resources to develop and demonstrate how technology can improve the livability, vitality and sustainability of Long Beach.”
Upon the pilot’s conclusion, the team says it will evaluate results and explore further opportunities to scale the effort.