William Riggs

Dr. William Riggs is Professor at the University of San Francisco School of Management and Director of the Autonomous Vehicles and the City Initiative. With expertise spanning urban technology, transportation economics, and sustainable development, he integrates academic research with practical policy frameworks for future cities.

He holds a PhD in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley, Master of Urban Planning from the University of Louisville, and BA in History from Ball State University. His professional background includes venture capital, urban planning, and transportation engineering.

Research centers on autonomous vehicle policy, street design for livability, behavioral economics in transportation, and sustainable urban development. Recent publications demonstrate focus on AV deployment frameworks, street redesign methodologies, and mobility justice. Article trends reveal consistent integration of technology ethics, user-centered design, and policy innovation across urban mobility domains.

Awards:

• Community Service Award, The Sea Ranch Association (2023)
• Kettering Institute Fellow (2021-2022)
• Outstanding Research Award, University of San Francisco (2021)

He leads the Autonomous Vehicles and the City conference series, fostering dialogue between academics, policymakers, and industry. As City of Palo Alto Planning Commissioner, he informs urban mobility policies. Current projects investigate distributed financial models for automated transit and blockchain applications in urban infrastructure.