In less-severe cases, warning lamps could light up and vehicles may go into fail-safe driving mode with reduced power.

FORBES: Toyota and Lexus Hybrids Recalled

The most compelling remains Pixel Qi -- a hybrid LCD technology that can be switched from a standard, full-color LCD backlit mode to a Kindle-like monochromatic reflective mode viewable in direct sunlight (while consuming 80% less power than standard LCDs).

ENGADGET: The e-Reader story of CES 2010

Innovation through less planning and more doing outmatched traditional business-model schools of thought, and this mode has become a best practice strategy in Silicon Valley and innovation hubs around the world.

FORBES: The Exponential Rise of Lean Business

Among less expensive solutions, Nissan engineered the 2013 Leaf with a new range-extending drive mode the company says can increase the distance it can travel on a single charge by up to 15%, to 84 miles, by allowing the customer to choose to use up 100% of the energy stored in the battery.

WSJ: To Spark Buyers for Electric Cars, Drop the Price to Nearly $0

Finish, an app brilliantly named for the person always adding to their to-do list or in procrastination mode, was built, iterated, and shipped in less than a year by young Colorado natives Ryan Orbuch and Michael Hansen.

FORBES: Create a To Do List You're More Likely To Finish