The problems that the auto giants face is symptomatic of the deeper problem of our world economy. It is to an extent a pyramid scheme and only works if it is continually expanding. Detroit can not develop a simple, long lasting efficient electric car, for instance, since they would far outlast petrol cars and eliminate the sales of filters, engine parts, brake pads (mainly regenerative braking) and so forth. It would also eliminate the purchases from her sister oil companies. Soon the car market would be saturated and to be sustainable, the auto giants would have go be content with being auto midgits. This is, of course what the world needs if we are to survive and not totally trash our environment (probably too late anyway). Namely the down sizing of everything that mades an impact on the ecology of the world which provides us with so much of our wealth for free (clean air and water for instance). To personify it, this economic crisis is doing its best to force us to save ourselves and we are doing our level best to get back into growth mode. 3% growth which the IMF predicts we will be back to in a few years equates to doubling every 23 years. Just think of double the use of resources and double the garbage by 2040 or so!!!! As a colorary to this, certain countries, America in the lead, are using far too much of the worlds resources. She simply has to take a cut in her material standard of living. Not to loose hope. This could lead to an increase in her real standard of living.