Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
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Chris Gerdes

Chris Gerdes

Keynote Speaker: Director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford

Chris Gerdes Biography

Chris Gerdes is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Emeritus, at Stanford University and Co-Director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS). His laboratory studies how cars move, how humans drive cars and how to design future cars that work cooperatively with the driver or drive themselves. He can often be found at the racetrack with students, trying out their latest prototypes for the future.

Vehicles in the lab include X1, an entirely student-built test vehicle; Niki, a Volkswagen GTI capable of turning a competitive lap time around the track without a human driver; and Marty, our electrified, automated, drifting DeLorean.

Gerdes' interests in vehicle safety extend to ethics and government policy, having helped to develop the US Federal Automated Vehicle Policy while serving as the first Chief Innovation Officer of the US Department of Transportation. He also serves as Safety Advisor to Ford Next.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Chris Gerdes and other top speakers and celebrities.

Chris Gerdes Speaking Topics

How safe is safe enough?

How safe should automated vehicles be? While there are numerous answers to this question, one in particular stands out – the answer implicit in our current traffic code and legal system. Looking at automated vehicles from the perspective of the Duty of Care placed on human drivers, we can derive engineering requirements for safe roads and even resolve the troublesome “Trolley Car” problem. Going further, experiments from the track suggest that future cars will be able to handle emergency maneuvers with the skill of a race driver. Taken together, we can envision automated vehicles that always uphold their duty to others and do their best to avoid crashes when others aren’t so careful.

Chris Gerdes Videos

MIT 6.S094: Chris Gerdes (Stanford) on Technology, Policy and...
Chris Gerdes: The future race car -- 150mph, and no driver
Chris Gerdes, "Who Will Be Driving on the Highway of the Future ...

How do I book Chris Gerdes to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Chris Gerdes for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Chris Gerdes, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Chris Gerdes or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Chris Gerdes for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Chris Gerdes, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Chris Gerdes are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Chris Gerdes, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Chris Gerdes speak about?

Chris Gerdes is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as TED, Motorsports, Manufacturing, Technology, Communication, Marketing, Futurism, Computer Science, Design, Science, Research & Exploration, Artificial Intelligence and Consulting.

Where does Chris Gerdes travel from?

Chris Gerdes generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Chris Gerdes?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Chris Gerdes for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Chris Gerdes for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Chris Gerdes or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Chris Gerdes is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including TED, Motorsports and Manufacturing. The estimated speaking fee range to book Chris Gerdes for live events is $20,000 - $30,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Chris Gerdes generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Alex Salkever, Richard Yonck and Ayesha Khanna. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Chris Gerdes for an upcoming event.

Chris Gerdes Speaking Topics

  • How safe is safe enough?

    How safe should automated vehicles be? While there are numerous answers to this question, one in particular stands out – the answer implicit in our current traffic code and legal system. Looking at automated vehicles from the perspective of the Duty of Care placed on human drivers, we can derive engineering requirements for safe roads and even resolve the troublesome “Trolley Car” problem. Going further, experiments from the track suggest that future cars will be able to handle emergency maneuvers with the skill of a race driver. Taken together, we can envision automated vehicles that always uphold their duty to others and do their best to avoid crashes when others aren’t so careful.

Chris Gerdes Videos

MIT 6.S094: Chris Gerdes (Stanford) on Technology, Policy and...
Chris Gerdes: The future race car -- 150mph, and no driver
Chris Gerdes, "Who Will Be Driving on the Highway of the Future ...
Car Talk: Autonomous Vehicles & Future of Energy - FORA.tv

Chris Gerdes Reviews

  • Sapphire Ventures - Oct 20 2017

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