Now I'm confused. Where did I say it can't be monetized? I quoted a statement from Google that makes it sound like they're investing in this out of the goodness of the hearts. I'm asking if anybody knows what their actual plans are for monetizing it.

I don't know, but that doesn't stop me from speculating..

1. Licensing fees from manufacturers for the patents, designs, etc. [once the tech is street-ready and approved]

2. Contextual/location-based ads as you drive around?

Lost man-hours of Google employees driving to/from work.