Boca Raton Expands Autonomous Shuttle Service
After a successful pilot with strong ridership, the city of Boca Raton, Florida, is scaling up its autonomous shuttle program. The MiCa shuttle, managed with AV tech firm Guident, highlights growing public trust and provides a model for other cities looking to solve "first-mile/last-mile" transportation challenges.
The shuttle, known as MiCa, is an Estonian-developed, SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle manufactured by Auve Tech. This 8-seat, fully electric shuttle is designed for last-mile transportation and has been deployed in 14 countries, demonstrating its capability in various weather conditions from heavy rain to snow. The vehicle's perception system relies on a suite of seven LiDARs and ten cameras, providing a 360-degree field of view. Auve Tech's next-generation AI software, MiCa 2.0, powers the shuttle's decision-making, enabling advanced capabilities like pedestrian prediction, dynamic overtaking, and autonomous handling of intersections through multi-sensor fusion. A key component of the Boca Raton implementation is the "human-in-the-loop" safety oversight provided by local AV firm Guident. From a Remote Monitor and Control Center (RMCC) in Boca Raton, human operators can remotely assist or take control of the shuttle if it encounters an edge case its autonomous system cannot handle. Guident's patented system utilizes AI and distributed sensor fusion to analyze data from multiple vehicles and assess risk levels in real-time. This teleoperation-as-a-service (TaaS) model is designed to meet regulatory requirements and enhance public trust by ensuring a layer of human judgment is always available. The initial three-month pilot program, which began in late 2025, operated on a half-mile loop within Mizner Park and cost the city approximately $90,405. An onboard safety attendant was present during this phase, as required by federal guidelines for initial deployments. The decision to expand was based on higher ridership compared to a similar MiCa pilot in West Palm Beach, which saw about 70 passengers in its first week. The planned expansion will extend the route to connect Mizner Park with Royal Palm Place, creating a more functional downtown transit link.
