The economy of scale from the millions of vehicles produced annually make this something that is likely going to move ahead, especially if it can be retrofitted. Can you imaging getting even 20% more power and greater fuel economy? It talks of the focal point where the focused beam will ignite the mixture in the middle of the vapor cloud due to multiple pulses delivered, sounds like a description of a fuel-air bomb ignitor (for the Hollywood version, see the Dustin Hoffman/Renee Russo movie 'Outbreak')
I wonder how robust the laser is in such an environment, you would think the lens exposed to the combustion chamber environment would degrade over time. Maybe if it was located in a remote pocket and fired thru an opening into the main combustion chamber, that would remove it from proximity to the worst wearing effects of the combustion process.
Fascinating technology to be sure. Between direct injection, different fuel formulations, and this technology, the days of internal combustion are not over yet.
