11 Jun The Suburbs Rule (Just Ask Mercedes Benz)
Everybody hates the suburbs right? Or at least all the cool people. They talk about a return to the downtowns, about walkable spaces, about riding bikes to work. It is all interesting stuff, but are people really rallying against the suburbs? Any look at population growth by area in North America will tell you that that’s not the case. People, as it turns out, are choosing to live in places that work for them in terms of space, budgets, and their own definitions of livability. Just ask Mercedes Benz.
Mercedes Benz’s views on the suburbs are only one fascinating insight that comes out of this New York Times interview with the company’s head of research and technology, Eric Larsen, but to me it is a key one. Mr. Larsen keeps ahead of trends, and one trend that he sees as a reality is that the U.S. is a big market for ‘family values’. That phrase might be tinged with all kinds of political baggage, but basically it means that Americans still have families and need cars to drive them around in. In his view, it is one reason why suburban development is not going away.
Not that today’s suburbs are like the ones the Brady Bunch lived in. As Mr. Larsen says, today’s suburbs often have little downtowns, although not much nightlife. And yes, it may well be that neither mom nor dad is home baking pies during the day. The observation that rings truest to me, however, is that these days after school activities are not things that happen in the gym at the elementary school, but often things that mean schlepping miles away to do.
Those of us who are parents know how this works. The best music teacher (or at least the one that you deem the best for your kid) may not be the lady down the block but the one who lives twenty minutes away. The local dance club may be okay for lessons, but if your daughter is in competitive dance its worth the commute to the next town so she can up her game. That means more driving, and as Mr. Larsen puts it, ‘a pain point for affluent parents, our customers, people who have more money than time’.
The most obvious conclusion of all this is that people still need biggish cars, and they will continue to drive them a lot. Technology is increasingly playing a role in things too, however. Mercedes Benz has a service called ‘Boost’ where minivans drive kids to their activities and parents are able to track them with a phone app (the vans have a concierge to take the kids inside as well as the driver).
Interestingly, Mercedez also sees Hybrids cars and the suburbs as going hand in hand, given that potentially everyone could have a charging station in their garage, and maybe a rooftop solar panel to produce electricity. Electric cars, in contrast, would be more of a challenge given that finding ways to keep them charged may not be practical.
There is nothing wrong with developing downtowns, and nothing wrong with people choosing to live in them. For all kinds of reasons though, suburban living is not on the wane. Companies that actually want to sell their products would be well advised to recognize that reality.
Grids For Instagram 5.7 Crack
Posted at 07:05h, 11 NovemberA big thank you for your blog article.Thanks Again. Will read on…
Jobs
Posted at 01:51h, 14 NovemberMuchos Gracias for your post.Really looking forward to read more. Really Great.
childrens bouncy castle hire in bexley
Posted at 15:40h, 14 NovemberThanks for sharing, this is a fantastic blog.Really looking forward to read more.
Relationship Advice
Posted at 18:25h, 14 NovemberA round of applause for your blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.
watch bouncy castle video here
Posted at 20:18h, 14 NovemberAppreciate you sharing, great blog article.Much thanks again. Awesome.
relationship advice for men
Posted at 22:39h, 14 NovemberI appreciate you sharing this blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.
Dating Coach London
Posted at 22:40h, 14 NovemberI really like and appreciate your article post.Really looking forward to read more.
Relationship Courses
Posted at 03:00h, 15 NovemberI really enjoy the blog post. Really Cool.
Relationship Advice
Posted at 03:17h, 15 NovemberI really like and appreciate your post.Much thanks again. Want more.
메이저놀이터
Posted at 09:57h, 15 NovemberThanks-a-mundo for the blog article. Awesome.
메이저토토
Posted at 09:58h, 15 NovemberMuchos Gracias for your blog.Much thanks again. Great.
HotStar
Posted at 16:34h, 15 NovemberVery informative article post.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
Ishq Subhan Allah
Posted at 21:38h, 15 NovemberThank you for your blog.Really looking forward to read more. Great.
메이저놀이터
Posted at 07:52h, 16 NovemberReally informative blog article. Fantastic.
Relationship advice article
Posted at 07:55h, 16 NovemberVery good blog. Will read on…
Depression Counselling
Posted at 10:39h, 16 NovemberReally informative post. Much obliged.
Gclub
Posted at 10:39h, 16 NovemberI appreciate you sharing this blog post.Thanks Again. Awesome.
best penis ring
Posted at 13:53h, 16 NovemberThank you for your blog.Really thank you! Really Great.
best vibrating dildo
Posted at 13:56h, 16 NovemberI truly appreciate this blog article.Thanks Again. Much obliged.
what does anal feel like
Posted at 18:32h, 16 NovemberI truly appreciate this blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Great.
best vibrating dildo
Posted at 19:16h, 16 NovemberGreat, thanks for sharing this post.Thanks Again. Awesome.
Miss Date Doctor
Posted at 23:00h, 16 NovemberThank you ever so for you article.Much thanks again.
Miss Date Doctor
Posted at 23:01h, 16 NovemberI really enjoy the article.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
Miss Date Doctor
Posted at 03:32h, 17 NovemberIm obliged for the blog article. Want more.
Miss Date Doctor
Posted at 03:50h, 17 NovemberVery neat blog article.Much thanks again. Really Cool.
메이저 사이트
Posted at 07:18h, 17 NovemberI loved your blog article. Will read on…
best CBD oil for pain
Posted at 07:18h, 17 NovemberGreat, thanks for sharing this blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on…
토토사이트
Posted at 06:13h, 18 NovemberThanks for the article post.Much thanks again. Really Great.
메이저놀이터
Posted at 06:13h, 18 NovemberI truly appreciate this blog. Keep writing.
먹튀사이트
Posted at 10:56h, 18 NovemberWow, great article post. Awesome.
먹튀사이트 도메인
Posted at 11:53h, 18 NovemberReally appreciate you sharing this blog post.Really thank you! Cool.
메이저토토
Posted at 11:53h, 18 NovemberI value the blog. Awesome.
BrentBaiotto
Posted at 14:47h, 18 NovemberVery informative blog post.Much thanks again. Want more.
strap on vibrator
Posted at 14:49h, 18 NovemberThanks so much for the blog post.
아동미술학원
Posted at 18:35h, 18 NovemberMajor thanks for the blog.Thanks Again. Will read on…
메이저 사이트
Posted at 22:36h, 19 NovemberI loved your article post. Really Cool.
Sandugo Replay Episode
Posted at 15:33h, 20 NovemberI think this is a real great blog article.Really thank you! Really Cool.
Sandugo Replay Episode
Posted at 18:10h, 20 NovemberThis is a great resource. Ill visit again.