"wonder what it would look like without them" ... they are following a trend in tech they see, not inventing physics.

Its our phds and universities that prusue the underlying science. Companies make a cost analysis on the RandD and reep the profits ... if it wasnt GM it would be another company, and eventually it will be most companies if the tech proves itself to be as good as the propaganda says.

All in a days work of capitalism , making sure hard work it rewarded and that we keep striving for better

I dont praise GM for their work , I pay them , a fair market price. Thats what they deserve, but they are not gods they are just good engineers and business men doing their jobs and hopefully our schools keep creating them.