Agree with most if not all of your comments...
Although, most US mods will probably not get safer any time soon. Most if not all US mod makers don't have the capacity or the finances to include electronics and safety into there mods, and even if they did a $100 mod would become $250 mod....as you know from recent market entries, anyone can make a tube with a switch, and to include electronics you would need R&D financing..
Cisco...
This is something that will be ultimately consumer driven, as most things are actually.
If a supplier wants to get into higher amounts of safety functions and features, its not really needed in all cases to have a ton of capital for R&D.
But suppose it does take a ton of capital for R&D, just like any business proposition if the prospect for profits will pan out, then some one will do it. Maybe get a loan or stash away the funds, etc.
Don't under estimate what is ultimately something that's consumer driven. If the cry for more functionality and safety comes from the consumers at large, some one will make the customer happy.