Oh, the false hopes and visions that were once instilled in my generation. I'm 44, and as a child I was told by now we would have flying cars similar to the Jetsons. And I believed them for sure when they said by now we would have automated cars where navigation was controlled by a computer, at least on the highways, if not from point A to point B.
I have a friend who's a commercial pilot. All he does is get the plane to the run way, then sits back until after it's landed. A few times/month he has to do a manual take-off and landing to comply with regulations. He admits that the passengers only complain when he's done it himself. While automated driving is much more complicated, I do believe the technology is there but that there are certain players that are interested in this not coming to pass. Sometimes I enjoy driving for the sake of driving, but overall, I'd much prefer to set my car to go and either nod off or get some work done.
Prototype cars only get me frustrated, because so little is employed. I'm interested in models that actually have shot of being produced.
Your post reminded me of this song from the 80's!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXHWDhk7Hok
It's the eighties so where's our rocket packs
It's the eighties so where's our rocket packs?
Go anywhere, we strap them on our backs
1. (It's the eighties so where's our rocket packs?)
I thought by now I'd walk the moon
And ride a car without no tires
And have a robot run the vacuum
And date a girl made out of wires
No thing's don't change that much, do they?
We are still out of touch, by now we should discover
Just how to love each other, like Klattus' robot man
Your looks have killed again
2. (It's the eighties so where's our rocket packs?)
I thought by now we'd live in space
And eat a pill instead of dinner
And wear a gas mask on our face a President of female gender
Though progress marches on, (new day)
Our troubles will grow strong
And my expectancies, become my fantasies
You turn my blood to sand, the earth stands still again
My hopes are running low
things moving much too slow
No space men up above
And we're still so very far from love
3. (It's the eighties so where's our rocket packs?)
I thought by now we'd build a dome
Around the world, control the weather
In every house, a picture phone; communicate a little better
But some things never change (replay!)
You are still acting strange
No way that I can see, this way we will be free
I want a flying skateboard! 
