Smart Infrastructure (Background and Goals)

• A smart and connected infrastructure involves cities focusing on numerous factors. These include ensuring current public transportation systems are developed, maintained, and used, effectively and efficiently, leveraging data to drive efficiencies in a transportation system, ensuring smart technologies (e.g., self-driving vehicles, ride sharing services) and integrating ride-sharing systems (e.g., Uber, Lyft).
•  McKinsey estimates the benefits of integrated mobility systems, such as safety and sustainability (reduced carbon emissions and traffic congestion) can be worth up to $600 billion.
•  Opportunity lies in generating policies that leverage current systems and new innovations to key consumer benefits, environmental benefits, and revenue generation.

Key Initiatives

• Los Angeles launched a 'mobility playbook' in 2018, designed to reach four key goals by 2028, including improved safety, reduced congestion, stronger economic development, and greater racial and socioeconomic equality.
• Their plans include increased investment in innovative transportation choices and technologies, such as electric vehicles and shared services, as well as newer ideas, such as dockless bike sharing.
• Bill Shao, Project Delivery and Operations, says "We are preparing for connected and smart vehicles to make Los Angeles a truly smart city."
• With Los Angeles set to host the Olympic games in 2028, the city has increased their focus on mobility solutions to push their mobility playbook efforts forward, commencing new partnerships and ensuring their 28 capital projects related to transportation infrastructure are completed.

Key Players: Major Non-Profits/Foundations (or Corporations)

• A key project is Urban Mobility Labs, a public-private partnership to accelerate mobility innovation.
• Some of the key groups involved in this partnership are L.A. Cleantech Incubator, L.A. Department of Transportation (LADOT), Lyft, Avis, and Verizon.

Job Creation Linked to Goals

• As part of their 2028 mobility plans, including smart technologies and infrastructure, shift to sustainable transportation, and mobility innovation, the LADOT has reinforced their commitment to maximizing job opportunities for the unemployed and ensuring a diverse workforce.
• A key principle underscoring their plan is being equitable and inclusive.

Conferences/Meetings/Events

•  CoMotion LA is sponsoring a conference in November 2020 to discuss the future of mobility in Los Angeles.
• This rail-focused conference, sponsored by SmartRailWorld, at the end of 2019, discusses how technology, innovation and analytics are transforming the future of transportation in Los Angeles.

Grants/Challenges/Prizes Related to Improving Smart Infrastructure

• The Smart50 awards recognizes the most transformative and innovative global smart cities projects, with smart mobility being one of the key categories.

Smart Infrastructure Trends

• Several smart infrastructure trends, a focus in Los Angeles and elsewhere, include driverless cars, connected traffic lights and cameras, smart streetlights, and smart parking.

Summary of Early Findings Relevant to the Goals