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Lately several cars have come out with dashboard games that help drivers reduce fuel consumption. There are obvious reasons to think that these apps can right some wrongs and it seems simple enough that an improved gaming experience should replace a more primitive one of bragging about speed feats under an eerie sense of achievement. Ford was the first to install one of these fuel-saving apps, challenging drivers to beat themselves and others in a race for efficiency. It displayed a plant that either withered or grew to a Tetris-like score, and it proved to be more compelling than melting glaciers and Al Gore documentaries. Its budding branches bent wills so effectively that the story has taken an unexpected turn. First things first, most people playing have not only slowed down on the road; they are also driving in higher gears and rolling up windows. Checking tire pressure, avoiding jack-rabbit starts. Accelerating smoothly. However, our competitive mi...