RE: Tesla are so far ahead and the mainstream press has no idea why.

It is interesting how "Big" companies with "Big" research and development departments would be stagnant on such an issue for so long.
I guess there maybe an issue with change one thing, change a lot of things, but since GM and others outsource so much of their work it would be potentially separate companies changing just one thing.
Who knows, I for sure don't ,but I think your point is very valid, they don't innovate until they have to... i.e. competition. And as long as the Big Three Auo Companies were complacent together there's no need to innovate.