Boca Raton Expands Autonomous Shuttle Service After Strong Ridership

The city plans to extend the route and explore a medical route connecting care facilities with hospitals.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 4:03pm

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Boca Raton is moving forward with plans to expand its autonomous shuttle program after a pilot program at Mizner Park showed stronger ridership than a similar program tested in West Palm Beach. The city plans to extend the route and explore a medical route connecting nursing homes and other care facilities with hospitals and doctors' offices.

Why it matters

Autonomous vehicle technology is still relatively new, and cities are exploring ways to integrate it into public transportation. Boca Raton's successful pilot program suggests there is demand for this type of service, which could make it a model for other communities looking to adopt similar technologies.

The details

The MiCa shuttle, a brightly colored, autonomous vehicle that carries up to seven passengers at a time, has been operating at Mizner Park since December 2025 in partnership with Guident, a tech company headquartered in Boca Raton. The route features five stops around the mall, with each loop taking about 12 minutes. The Boca Raton pilot is approaching 1,000 passengers, averaging 25 riders per day, outpacing a similar program tested in West Palm Beach that carried about 1,300 total riders over six months.

  • The MiCa shuttle has been operating at Mizner Park since December 2025.
  • Boca Raton plans to extend the shuttle route in April.

The players

Guident

A tech company headquartered in Boca Raton that partnered with the city on the autonomous shuttle program.

Zach Bihr

The public works and engineering director for the city of Boca Raton.

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What they’re saying

“I think most people are impressed with where the technology is right now.”

— Zach Bihr, Public Works and Engineering Director, City of Boca Raton

“We didn't want to have 20 stops so it's start and stop, we also wanted to capture those heat spots where most people would be getting on and off.”

— Zach Bihr, Public Works and Engineering Director, City of Boca Raton

What’s next

Boca Raton plans to extend the shuttle route in April to connect Mizner Park and Royal Palm Plaza, two major destinations in the city.

The takeaway

Boca Raton's successful autonomous shuttle pilot program at Mizner Park suggests there is demand for this type of public transportation service, and the city's plans to expand the route and explore a medical route could serve as a model for other communities looking to adopt similar technologies.