Sudden Acceleration

I have driven over a half a million different cars in my career.  I have recently noticed in the past few years that car manufacturers are placing the gas pedal and the brake pedal closer together.  I do not know the reason why.  Some gas pedals are 2 inches wide and 3 inches away from the brake pedal.  The brake pedal should be moved 2 inches to the left.  The gas pedal should only be 1 inch wide and up against the hump, leaving a space of approximately 5 inches between them.  Also, normally the brake pedal starts out higher than the gas pedal.  The problem of sudden accelleration happens when people step on the brake with the ball of their foot under their big toe and the area under the little toe has a natural inclination to roll onto the gas pedal.  So, as you are depressing the brake you are also stepping on the gas.  In a perfect situation, usually the brake wins.  When brakes are worn or the brake pedal is more cushy because of a very sensitive power brake system, the brakes don't engage because the brake has to go lower for its engagement point.  Thus, because the gas pedal is being applied with more strength than the brake pedal, the gas pedal wins.