Despite AVs being far less likely than human drivers to be involved in an accident, a majority of Americans say their #1 ranked concern about AVs is still traffic accidents.
This gap between perception and reality will be a primary challenge on the road to mass scale AV adoption.

These NIMBY ("not in my backyard") tendencies are a consistent barrier to progress across many key issues (renewables, housing, etc.). Many people support an idea in principle, but become resistant when it is applied to their local area.

Nuclear NIMBYs: Our new national poll finds that Americans' support for building new nuclear power outnumbers opposition IF it is built in a state where they do not live, BUT the pattern is reversed if it would be located within 50 miles of their home.

Neither side (AVs safer vs humans safer) has a clear majority because so many people either estimate equal safety (29%) or simply don't know (11%). Public sentiment rests at a tipping point where the events and narratives of the next few years will determine which cultural norms are solidified.

Are #AutonomousVehicles safer than human drivers? While the actual safety metrics matter a lot, another important determinant of diffusion and adoption is public perception of which one is safer. Our recent national study found that Americans are still about equally split on this.

This showcases the wide gaps in familiarity that are common with emerging technology. Even when a new thing has become routine or familiar among Early Adopters, it can still be mostly foreign to a large portion of the general public.

Nearly HALF of Americans (49%) are unaware that hashtag#AutonomousVehicles are already being used in real-world settings.
Data from our recent national study showed that only about 1 in 3 U.S. adults correctly estimated the current state of AVs (that they're being used in a few major cities).

Overall, this highlights the importance of public education and clear communication about the practical utility of blockchain tech.

It's no surprise that many Americans who have never owned any digital assets are mostly unfamiliar with the uses of blockchain tech.
But what IS a surprise is that the data from our national study shows that most Americans who HAVE owned digital assets also have low familiarity.

Among Americans who have owned crypto, only a slim minority are aware that blockchain tech can be used for money transfers. Fewer than 1 in 3 are aware that uses include proof of ownership and contracts.

While adoption of new tech can be a slow process, it’s encouraging to see even among those who have never owned crypto, about half see themselves as either likely to own in the future (13%), or just on the fence (37%).

Do people who have never owned crypto plan to continue to avoid it?
Our national poll shows some clear answers to this. Although most Americans (81%) have never owned any digital assets, only HALF of that group (50.4%) says they are unlikely to acquire some in the future.

Also, more than half (61%) say they feel "afraid" about AVs while only 13% say they "trust" them.
This suggests consumers prefer incremental innovations that improve safety without giving up control.
We should position self-driving as an evolution from ADAS rather than a sudden leap.

It's going to be an uphill climb for autonomous vehicles.
In AAA's survey, only only 13% of U.S. drivers say a fully self-driving vehicle is important to them, where as 64% of want automatic emergency braking, and 59% want lane-keeping assistance.

newsroom.aaa.com/2025/02/aaa-...

This is a pretty good sign! It means lack of prior involvement does not imply opposition. There are many millions of Americans who are simply unsure, uninformed, ambivalent, or apathetic. When thinking about social change, that's a much better situation than widespread opposition or resistance.

Q: When is a large number of people feeling merely "Neutral" actually a positive signal?
A: When this means there's very little opposition!

In our national poll, we found that 51% of Americans who have *never* owned crypto said they feel neither positive nor negative sentiment... just neutral.

One reason could be that those 18-24 group don't have resource for digital assets yet. But another possibility is that interest in crypto peaked in the cohort before them, and largely has not carried over into the next generation.
Time will tell us more as Gen Z ages into higher earning roles.

Are younger Americans more likely to own crypto? The data says YES... but with an asterisk.
Typically with new tech, you'd expect younger people are more likely to participate. But in our national study, we see that ownership drops dramatically among adults under 25, despite peaking in ages 25-34.

In the free full article linked here, we provide a deeper explanation for why this happens, and what we can do to fix this.
www.xandyanalytics.com/the-crypto-k...

Most companies overestimate public understanding of new technologies. Experts and insiders are the most likely to be blind to this. One of the most important ingredients for mass adoption is just a clear, simple communication strategy that lowers the barriers to entry and assuages common concerns.

When asked to describe any risks or benefits of crypto that they are aware of, more than half of U.S. adults say they don’t know of any. Overall, only about 1 in 4 Americans can name any specific risks of crypto and only about 1 in 5 can name a specific benefit.

We have some work to do on public education about crypto.
Our new national survey in partnership with The Digital Chamber shows that most Americans are unable to identify any specific benefits or risks of crypto.

hello world!
We've had an exciting few years working with private clients. As we launch our public work, our social accounts will distribute data and strategy to help further our mission:
--> accelerating diffusion of the world's most important new ideas and innovations.