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Actually, it looks a bit too neat. Almost no trash on the floor and most surfaces are clean and empty. They must have cleaned up for the camera. But this workplace looks pathologically clean (look for the shot of an F-22 under assembly).

Yes, very true regarding the isolation. Additionally, planes' rigorous inspection and freedom from interference allows planes to be fly-by-wire, but we do not have this luxury with cars yet...

No production car has a total steer-by-wire system yet; every car still has an absolute mechanical linkage between the steering column and the wheels. A LOT of manufacturers have been looking into alternatives -- BMW in particular (I know this car manufacturer the best) has some completely "steer-by-wire" systems are in concept cars. They have a hybrid system currently called "active steer" since '04, which I think all BMWs have, which basically increases the angle to the wheels at lower speeds.

Numerous cars now have complete "throttle-by-wire", present in BMWs though since about 2004, so there is no mechanical gas pedal linkage, and this is now relatively common, but not universal among cars. Apparently there were some complaints about it early, but now the programming is very similar to the mechanical linkage. If you lose your throttle control due to a computer malfunction, it is simply not as bad as completely losing your steering.

For some really good articles on the issues involved, check out:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb078/is_200311/ai_hibm1G1110736640
http://www.autofieldguide.com/columns/1103pb.html

And some guy's Stanford Ph.D. thesis -- actually a pretty good read, summarizing issues nicely.
http://www-cdr.stanford.edu/dynamic/bywire/dissertation.pdf

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering5.htm

Unfortunatly not too many people seem to understand what the purpose of this device is. Its NOT to generate hydrogen to add power or replace gas. The hydrogen is acting as a catalyst to improve the burn of the existing gas used in the engine. It provides MORE bang and a cleaner burn. Far more then the engergy of the hydrogen alone. I think the claims are overblown but the fact is well known that it cleans up the exhaust GREATLY. There is a guy who added tanks to his car instead of generating it on the fly. Now onto the price. CRAZY. If it adds 10% more mpg for $7000, its not worth it. I replaced the tires on my car with low rolling resistence ones and got 10% more mpg. That cost me $390 and the existing tires needed to be changed anyhow. http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/090203.html http://www.durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article_gener ation.asp?article_type=earth&article_path=/earth/e arth041014.htm http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/05/low_rollin g_res.php

Aluminum unibody doesn't break new ground? Only for Audi, perhaps.

Think fuel injectors, for example, which are made by several suppliers, but have a patent holder who gets license revenue.