Eli5: Why is a cars drivers seat not positioned in the middle?
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Packaging is what has historically driven a side-by-side seating layout. A front engine located relatively close to the passenger compartment requires the steering column to be offset to one side to clear the engine and transmission, while allowing for a relatively simple steering system. Put the engine behind the driver and you can put the driver wherever you want, but by the time that was done regularly most vehicles had already gone to a side-by-side configuration and only race cars and very specialized road going vehicles (the F1 notably) had a center driver position.
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