Tekcapital portfolio company Guident has unveiled an autonomous vehicle pilot programme in downtown West Palm Beach as the company gears up for its proposed NASDAQ IPO this year.
The autonomous shuttle initiative, developed in partnership with Related Ross, Circuit Transit and Auve Tech, covering a 0.9-mile route, is open to the public from 17th April.
Palm Beach County commuters benefit from complimentary Royale access, sponsored by the local transport authority.
The project features the MiCa, a Level 4 fully autonomous electric shuttle created by Estonian firm Auve Tech, marking its first deployment in the United States. Guident provides the human-in-the-loop safety features required by many US states for autonomous vehicles.
“Launching the MiCa pilot in West Palm Beach represents a significant leap forward in autonomous technology,” said Harald Braun, Chairman and CEO of Guident.
“Our collaboration with our esteemed partners underlines a shared vision: to create a safer, more efficient, and connected urban future.”
While the company hasn’t signalled further rollout across the US yet, one would expect the West Palm Beach launch to gain the attention of other cities across the country that are seeking to improve mobility services.
The West Palm Beach launch comes as Guident prepares for a NASDAQ IPO this year amid a boom in autonomous vehicle investment rounds.
London-listed Tekcapital has a 70% stake in Guident, which could be worth more than its entire market cap when Guident successfully lists.