Do such systems not rip the landing gear off planes? To be sure, ripping the landing gear off a plane might be a minor thing compared to letting it crash into a gas station, but it would seem that there would be no controlability beyond the fact that the thing would stop. A cable would seem to offer much greater control.
Here is the proper description of the Engineered Material Arresting System EMAS as installed by Zodiac ESCO. Google: (link) From reading the numerous descriptions including ESCO, USAF, DOT, and FAA, it looks like EMAS could have been installed at Chicago Midway and prevented this accident.
Zodiac just moved into my research for investment list...