IMHO our innovators should be focusing on improving public transport. This is why I prefer that people live in cities rather than suburbs. You can go around without having to use your car. In the better designed cities, it's even possible to just ride a bike or walk to work.
Totally agree! American city planning is full shit, suburbs waste a lot of energy and people spend many hours in traffic jams. You must learn from Europe how to build good cities!
I heard from a former employer that Americans use cars a lot because of the vastness of the country (our office handle the customer care of a car parts company). So that's understandable but yeah, it could have been reduced with more planning. If people just live near work, they can commute and then just use their car when going cross-country (I believe that's what they call travelling through states) or just take the train.
Unfortunately, the image of the American Dream seems to be a large house, with a picket fence and a garden. It's a nice dream but should also not forget that we are leaving the planet to our children and they should also be able to enjoy it like we did.