[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Can someone explain the benefits of the big corporations (car manufacturers) sucking on the teet of the oil companies for so long? I can only assume there was some financial benefit offered to them to stunt technological growth.[/quote]
More like adopting alternative fuels requires great vision, risk, and investment - it's much easier to rip out public transportation, cave to union pension demands that will never be paid in your lifetime, pay off congress, and put all your chips on huge shiny gas-guzzlers that remain attractive as long as gas stays under a buck.
Course if all else fails, there's always Plan B - ask govt for a bailout while you strap on the golden parachute.