Similarly, Project VRM can allow such rules to be auto-negotiated as long as each party declares what they are willing to share and what they are willing to accept.

FORBES: How to Not Fill Out a Web Registration Form Ever Again

For Jimenez, the Los Angeles auto mechanic, this election is the Democratic Party's last chance to secure his support.

CNN: Casting ballots on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border

The company reinstated them last fall after a third-party arbitrator sided with the United Auto Workers, which had filed a grievance on their behalf.

FORBES: Another Headache For Chrysler's Social Media Team With Jeep Twitter Hack

The process required not only getting Republicans and Democrats to agree on something, but also getting environmentalists and, more importantly, auto manufacturers to agree on something that no party really likes.

FORBES: New CAFE Rules Anger Just About Everyone

By using in-house auto-driving technology instead of licensing from a second party, like Google, Tesla stands a better chance of achieving that goal.

FORBES: Musk: Tesla's Next-Gen Cars May Feature Autopilot

In the auto industry, as in politics, a third-party entry into a well-known, hotly contested race can cause significant consternation among the rank and file.

FORBES: Best Luxury Car Buys of 2012

Just this week, members of Wall Street's elite toasted Mr. Rattner at a party at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York for the publication of his book on the auto bailout.

WSJ: Rattner Near Deal to Settle SEC Case