A closer look
We now entirely take for granted that the window button belongs near our elbow. However, for decades, manufacturers stubbornly placed massive banks of heavy toggle switches directly in the center console. This allowed them to heavily consolidate the electrical wiring harness and entirely save the cost of running cables into both front doors. It was highly economical for them, but meant drivers had to constantly fumble blindly in the middle of the dark cabin just to ask for directions at a toll booth.
