[sva_]

Not sure if you're implying that the government is supposed to oversee/manage the development of such a project, but I think they're extraordinarily bad at such things. It isn't the role of the gov either.

> car and computing companies could contribute their existing software to a open source consortium that would be government-sponsored, but privately run.

So basically it would just be a normal company, but the government pays them? In what way should the gov decide which company to fund, and why? If it is a commercial/private company, their existence should be justified by their profits. I don't really get it.

[wmf]

In what way should the gov decide which company to fund, and why? If it is a commercial/private company, their existence should be justified by their profits.

It makes sense for the government to fund R&D that the private sector won't fund, possibly because it would be profitable for the overall economy but not for any one company. Obviously a dozen companies are already building self-driving so that doesn't apply.