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[Sulu]

You cannot compare the bleeding-edge military technology -- especially American military technology -- with leading-edge commercial technology. The military, especially the American military, has always been willing to spend top dollar to research bleeding-edge technologies.

These technologies and their components are very expensive and perhaps not very reliable. The military (and other government agencies) can afford to have engineers and mechanics accompany these vehicles.

Commercial vehicles, on the other hand, must be affordable and be very reliable, so they contain tested and proven technologies, perhaps technology that has trickled down from military research.

Remember that the Internet started as an American military communications network. The current autonomous, robotic (driver-less) vehicle research, with its annual DARPA Challenge, is military funded.

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by asjoseph

Absolutely nothing trickling down, from racing or the military, automobile oligopolies are two decades behind where they should otherwise be.

I disagree completely with that statement. DARPA, Phillips Labs, etc., have programs or otherwise make much of their technology available for the private sector. Any "trickle down" is a matter of private industry being willing to spend the R & D money to get the technology to market, not the military limiting access to that technology.