For decades, the switch to toggle between the high-beam (main) and low-beam (dipped) headlights was not on a stalk near the steering wheel but on the floor of the driver's footwell, known as the "dip switch." To change beams, the driver had to lift their left foot from the dead pedal and press the button on the floor. This required the driver to take their foot away from the clutch or the area near the brake, adding a distracting and slightly dangerous maneuver to nighttime driving. Its replacement with the much more accessible and intuitive steering column stalk was a major, albeit subtle, safety improvement.
