Leaded gas was a known poison the day it was invented (2016)
> The most compelling option was actually ethanol.<p>But from the perspective of GM, Kitman wrote, ethanol wasn’t an option. It couldn’t be patented and GM couldn’t control its production. And oil companies like Du Pont "hated it," he wrote, perceiving it to be a threat to their control of the internal combustion engine.<p>I'm generally an avid beliver in free markets as an agent for positive change, so these types of "revelations" are really disheartening. 
What are the solutions to this? What governing system would have mass produced ethenol as the best antiknocker with no regard to the interests of top players?<p>Perhaps the government should open companies that are meant to lose money and are tax supported (for-loss conpanies) that compete with the industry with solutions that are good for the people but bad for business?