Local Innovator Receives Government Contract for Smart-City Pilot
SAN JOSÉ, Calif., Jan. 15, 2025 – The City of San José has awarded a $425,000 pilot contract to Silicon Valley Mobility Solutions for an artificial intelligence-driven traffic management system designed to reduce pedestrian collisions and improve intersection safety in the downtown core. The 18-month pilot program, launching March 2025, will test adaptive signal control technology at 15 high-risk intersections along Santa Clara Street.
The contract award follows the city’s October 2025 Request for Information for AI and Smart City solutions, positioning San José among municipalities accelerating procurement of emerging technologies. Silicon Valley Mobility Solutions, a 12-person firm headquartered in San José’s Northside neighborhood, will install sensors and edge-computing devices that detect pedestrian volume, vehicle speed and crossing patterns in real time. The system automatically adjusts signal timing to prioritize pedestrian safety during peak crossing periods while maintaining traffic flow.
According to a recent U.S. Trade Development Agency announcement, federal investment in smart-city pilots has expanded globally, with grants co-funding command center demonstrations in Indonesia’s new capital city involving seven U.S. technology companies. This reflects broader municipal adoption; the National League of Cities reports that 78% of U.S. cities with populations over 50,000 launched at least one smart-city pilot in 2024, representing a 23% increase from 2023. The smart-city technology market is projected to reach $158 billion by 2027, driven by demand for AI-powered infrastructure solutions.
“We selected Silicon Valley Mobility Solutions because their technology addresses a critical public safety need with a data-driven approach that aligns with our Vision Zero goals,” said San José Chief Technology Officer Qiana Jenkins. “Their track record of successful pilots in Oakland and Fremont, combined with their hyperlocal presence, ensures rapid deployment and community responsiveness.”
The pilot’s performance metrics include reducing pedestrian-involved incidents by 30% at test intersections, decreasing average pedestrian wait times by 25%, and improving signal compliance rates. The system generates anonymized data reports for city planners and makes aggregated safety statistics publicly available through the city’s open data portal. If successful, the pilot could scale to 150 intersections citywide.
“Winning this contract validates our mission of building safety technology where we live and work,” said Dr. Aria Chen, CEO and co-founder of Silicon Valley Mobility Solutions. “Downtown San José has unique pedestrian patterns with our light rail integration and major event venues. Our adaptive algorithms learned from three years of research at San José State University’s Transportation Institute, and we’re ready to prove they can save lives.”
The pilot program includes community engagement components, with quarterly public demonstrations and a multilingual education campaign about the new signal behaviors. Installation will occur during off-peak hours to minimize disruption to downtown businesses and transit operations.
ABOUT SILICON VALLEY MOBILITY SOLUTIONS
Founded in 2021, Silicon Valley Mobility Solutions develops AI-based traffic intelligence platforms for urban environments. The company’s proprietary computer vision technology processes intersection data at the edge, reducing latency while preserving privacy. Its pilot programs have demonstrated a 40% reduction in near-miss collisions in comparable urban settings. The firm is a certified small business enterprise with the State of California and maintains partnerships with the Mineta Transportation Institute.
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