Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are no stranger to those living in San Francisco. As of August 2025, Waymos alone make up 25% of the rideshare market in the city. As this technology matures, many of the ongoing challenges lie in policy, deployment and urban integration — all of which were discussed at the Autonomous Vehicles & the City Symposium on April 17.
The symposium marked the 10th anniversary of USF and Commonwealth Club World Affairs’ annual gathering of tech giants and California policymakers, brought together to discuss many of the practical issues associated with autonomous vehicles.
One of the groups behind the event, USF’s Autonomous Vehicles and the City Initiative, has been responsible for research based directives intended to improve AV integration. The initiative is led by management Professor William Riggs and Adjunct Professor Henriette Cornet. Rigg’s background in urban planning and Cornet’s experience in the European automotive industry inform their research.
In a 2024 interview for USF News with Professor Evan Elliot, Cornet spoke about being invited to the initiative by co-director Riggs, “It was easy to say yes. I love sustainable development, love autonomous vehicles and love teaching.”
Past projects by the initiative include urban design strategies to streamline AV pick-ups and drop-offs, in a collaboration with sponsors UC Davis and Waymo. In 2021, the USF team partnered with Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, to determine how AVs could assist disabled Americans and make policy recommendations to improve rider accessibility. In 2022, they launched a pilot ride program with Cruise, in which free AV rides were offered to students in order to better understand how AV service could meet student transportation needs.
This focus on improving policy and real world change was carried into the 2026 symposium. Standout names in tech and policy like Dr. Maarten Sierhuis, vice president at Nissan Advanced Technology Center, California State Sen. Scott Wiener and Adetokunbo “Toks” Omishakin, the California Secretary of Transportation convened to discuss the systemic and civic issues raised by a maturing AV technology.
Associate Dean of USF, Michael Goldman attended the symposium as a representative of the university. “As the Jesuit Catholic institution in the city over the last 160 plus years we have continued to support the technological and innovation development within the city.” Goldman said that USF was no stranger to being involved in city innovation, “In 1876 it was a Jesuit Catholic priest from the university who lit the streets of San Francisco with electricity for the first time.”
Goldman said, “Over our history USF has continued to be part of the technological developments within the city and we serve the city and all its residents in that way. For us, the AV and the City Initiative and all our other STEM and science focused initiatives are about creating additional pathways and helping research happen from the hilltop into the city.”
