TITLE
Recommendation adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding, including any subsequent amendments, with Daimler Urban Mobility Solutions, of Long Beach, CA, and Xtelligent, of Los Angeles, CA, to develop, deploy, and test Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV) and a Cooperative Intelligent Transportation System (C-ITS), at no cost to the City of Long Beach, for a period of 10 months, unless extended at the discretion of the City Manager for 8 additional months, for a total period not to exceed 18 months. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Daimler Urban Mobility Solutions (Daimler) and Xtelligent, to develop and deploy intelligent transportation system technology with the City of Long Beach (City), for a period of ten months, at no cost to the City. The project encompassed by the MOU is an innovative public-private partnership between Daimler, Xtelligent, and the City.
The key functions of the partnership, as outlined in the MOU, include:
• Xtelligent’s intelligent intersection control system, which may safely adapt traffic signal timing at select intersections based on City-approved priorities.
• Vehicle location data collected for, and supplied to, Xtelligent’s system, from Daimler’s connected test vehicle fleet, traditional physical sensors, and any other data sources available. Daimler and Xtelligent will analyze collected data and provide the City with this information to inform transportation policy and traffic engineering decisions.
• Community benefits for the City, including hiring a local data scientist to assist with project data analysis and hosting a community youth workshop for Long Beach residents and students at Daimler’s local research and development facility.
As the mobility landscape continues to evolve, the City must be proactive in preparing for emerging technology, so the City may leverage these technologies to benefit the community when they become industry-standard. This partnership provides the City with an opportunity to safely test adaptive signal infrastructure while also collecting data to support improved traffic flows and inform traffic engineering decisions. This project complements cutting-edge work previously directed by City leadership, such as rider enhancements to the Metro A Line and the launch of the Long Beach Accelerator. This partnership will further cement the City’s investment in a local technology ecosystem, reinforce local commitments to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning, and showcase our commitment to building a skilled future-ready workforce that can adapt to new modes of transportation.
This partnership also aligns with Citywide policy priorities, including traffic safety and sustainability. On July 14, 2020, the City Council passed the Safe Streets Long Beach Action Plan, which aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities by 2026. The technology system and data provided to the City from this proposed partnership with Daimler and Xtelligent will support our efforts to improve traffic safety citywide. This partnership also advances our sustainability goals by reducing the amount of vehicle-based emissions generated by traffic congestion.
Finally, this work is consistent with our Smart City Initiative, directed by the Mayor and City Council on October 22, 2019. Staff from the Technology and Innovation Department (TI) are currently developing the Smart City Initiative in collaboration with key stakeholders in other City Departments. TI has convened Long Beach community members, the City’s Technology and Innovation Commission, and Long Beach technology industry partners to co-create a strategy to use emerging technologies that will be deployed responsibly to meet community-sourced needs. This partnership with Daimler and Xtelligent reflects our smart city vision and will build on our progress to advance digital inclusion to ensure opportunities gained from emerging technologies are accessible to all.
City Charter Section 1801 requires that contracts for City purchases be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after a competitive bid process but allows for awards without a competitive bid process if accompanied by a Resolution adopted by the City Council. This partnership with Daimler and Xtelligent to pilot the integration of connected vehicles to City traffic signal infrastructure exists only as proposed in the MOU and represents a first-of-its kind program that no other solution provider currently offers. No other entity can rapidly provide a connected vehicle fleet, integrate those vehicles with City infrastructure and C-ITS technology, and provide direct benefits to the Long Beach community (including a CSULB data scientist to analyze the effectiveness of this project, and a youth workshop to promote STEM learning and education in our underserved communities).
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Erin Weesner-McKinley on August 31, 2020, Deputy Finance Director Sandy Tsang-Palmer on August 31, 2020, and by Budget Management Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on August 27, 2020.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on September 15, 2020, to ensure an MOU is in place expeditiously so City staff may begin testing this emerging technology in a real-world environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal or local job impact associated with this recommendation. Daimler and Xtelligent will provide their systems and services at no cost to the City for the ten-month project period. At the end of the project, Daimler and Xtelligent may extend the use of their systems and services at their exclusive option for an additional eight-month period. At the conclusion of the program, City staff will evaluate the benefits and gaps of the program, and should the City determine there is value in continuing access to this technology, a regular procurement process will commence, and any potential program and/or costs will be brought back to the City Council at a later date. The recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
LEA D. ERIKSEN
DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
JOHN KEISLER
DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ERIC LOPEZ
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER