That's a common thing on many cars.

Cars used to have high beam foot switches on the floor that you could quickly tap without having to take a hand off the wheel. I liked those better!

 

Used to, some of these guys on here have never driven cars with that. Tornado I am guessing you aren't in the Scion target demographic

:D

 

Am not in what Toyota THOUGHT would be the demographic target group either (although they found out that Marketing Research can be VERY wrong), and well remember when all cars had the little foot "button" you pressed to change from high to low and back as well.

Reaching a bit further back, when I bought my 1st new car, radios were optional equipment (not even a basic AM was stock) AND heaters (not to mention a/c) were optional as well, though we didn't need them much, if at all in the South.