@mcarmichael
@mattcarmichael
The myth of the average American and the truth of shared values
As divided as the U.S. may seem as a nation, there is much that binds Average Americans. Here are 118 stats about things they (mostly) agree on. read more »
Articles by Matt Carmichael
How does a place get a reputation?
These are the key drivers of a place’s reputation and they differ for people looking for a place to live or a vacation destination or a place to invest. read more »
How the auto industry bridges the self-driving future with the SUV-buying present
You get a call one night that your wife fell asleep at the wheel. It’s a nightmare scenario but thankfully, she’s fine. As her Volvo veered off the road, its autonomous safety features applied the brakes, tightened her seatbelts, deployed the air bags and called for help. This isn’t the future. This is today. Serial ... continue »
Editor’s Note
It’s impossible to keep up with the news surrounding autonomous vehicles. Every day a new trial launches from a traditional auto manufacturer or a tech company like Uber or Waymo. The corporate and technological momentum contributes to an air of inevitability. It seems that it’s not a matter of if we’ll have fully autonomous shared ... continue »
Ready to let go of the wheel?
Percentage of respondents agreeing with the statement: “I am in favor of self-driving cars and I can’t wait to use them.” Source: Ipsos Global @dvisor survey conducted between November 27 and December 8, 2017 among 21,549 adults in 28 nations... continue »
Automated vehicle time usage
The average American spends 52 minutes a day commuting, mostly by driving a car by themselves. Tack on errands, school drop-offs, and all the other driving we do and it adds up to a significant part of our waking day in transit. Imagine, then, having a car that drives itself. Those who commute by public ... continue »
Which Olympic event will be the next ratings medal-winner?
If Olympic events won medals themselves, figure skating would of course take the winter gold. Across the world it reigns as the most popular event, according to an Ipsos Global Advisor study of 27 nations. In the U.S., hockey takes the silver. In Canada those ranks are reversed. Canadians are as excited about hockey as ... continue »
Americans and Canadians have a mixed outlook for 2018
Nearly half of United States and Canadians in a recent Ipsos poll predict war with North Korea is imminent even as they also predict that 2018 will be a better year than 2017. That’s according to the latest Ipsos Global Advisor survey about expectations for 2018. Nearly 21,000 adults in 28 countries were asked their ... continue »
Is there such a thing as a best place to live for everyone?
Where are the best place to live? Livability.com has been answering that question for more than five years through the research behind its annual Top 100 Best Places to Live ranking, which focuses on small to mid-sized U.S. cities. The current list, published in January 2018, shows Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the top city. And ... continue »
Question: If someone moves into my city and moves up the socio-economic ladder, does local government play a role in that success?
“Cities aren’t full of poor people because cities make people poor, but because cities attract poor people with the prospect of improving their lot in life.” Edward Glaeser, “Triumph of the City.” Paul Soglin, mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, referenced this quote in conversation with GenPop — he even cited the page number in the Harvard economist’s seminal ... continue »