The cars I'm talking about are far from ideal. Ideal cars would look awful, and since, "for some reason", we're very touchy about what a car should look like, it's a shape of an inefficient, unsafe brick.

But yes, the issue is the arms race, as you've put it. And it's starting to infect Europe as well, so education on vehicle safety is paramount.

Vechicle safety is not "as long as I'm in a tank - I'm safe, and that's all that matters". (This is not aimed at you)