Probably a stupid car question...

[Taem]

You just gave the most perfect example for why *not* to ever allow this:

Because, people (the government) are afraid of allowing general access to something like weapons grade plutonium that would be generated in a breeder reactor of this sort. Of course, any average Joe who cracked open his "sealed" home nuclear core would probably be dead in minutes or hours. Just as surely as if they filled their basement with gasoline and lit it up.

You seem to be saying, "This is the way it is. Accept it." And, I'm saying, "I don't think it has to remain like this forever." We use and live with very dangerous substances daily, like LNG, ammonia, gasoline, or hydrazine, which nobody gives a seconds extra thought about. Heck, over 5000 people die every year by accidental electrocution...

THIS, after the Russian bombing a few days ago, makes for great theories on possible acts of terrorism that could be utilized with such technology, from dirty bombs to mini-nukes! Something like this will *NEVER* see the light of day in this day and age!

From a practical standpoint, you would need specialty mechanics, perhaps certified by the government, to work on your car as these "nuclear" run mobiles started slowly replacing standard carbon-emitting automobiles, but I'm sure the trade-off would be slow as the initial prices for such cars would be astronomically higher priced than a standard car as the technology lagged behind the science. Also, there would have to be a radiation detection gauge on the car itself in case there was a crack in the hull, so to speak. Crash-testing these cars could be dangerous and would require a complete regulations over-hall, as would the way police and fire departments deal with car accidents. Basically, if this did become a reality, it would change everything as we know it!