There are many options available to car buyers today as to the type of vehicle they are in the market for. However, there are basic features in every automobile that should be standardized for safety sake, as well as for the sake of stress relief. Driving or riding in a vehicle one is not familiar with can be stressful and possibly dangerous.
Although all automobiles have the same basic function, the simple task of opening the car door can be very frustrating when using a car you are not familiar with......especially if you are opening the door from the inside. If a person is carpooling or otherwise is in and out of unfamiliar cars on a regular basis because of the nature of their work or play, just finding the door handle can be daunting. The handles come in a wide variety of shapes and are located in what seems to be randomly chosen spots on the door. The same can be said of the window "buttons". They seem to be located in some cars in the same spot that the door lock is located in other cars. It is frustrating to play button roulette, not knowing which function the button you push will enact....if any.
Car seat belts should be standardized as to the way they function. Fastening a seatbelt can be one of the hardest tasks in some cars and relatively simple in others. Some cars have seatbelts that partially do the work for the passenger. When a passenger is not accustomed to this type of seat belt....it can be frightening, causing sudden rapid heartbeat or worse....unwanted moisture in the seat.
A person who from time to time is called on to use a car he is not familiar with can become a danger on the highway under certain circumstances. The headlights, turn signals, and windshield wipers can be virtual hazards if the driver doesn't know where they are located or how to use them. These items should be standardized as to the location of the "buttons" that operate these functions so as to avoid possible accidents due to the user not being familiar with "where" these buttons are or how they work.
