Such as-

1- Why don't they put the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel instead of a seperate stalk?

 

There's an easy answer for that. The steering wheel would be totally cluttered with cruise control switches next to the audio controls, voice recognition activation, telephone/bluetooth controls and if you have performance package w/adaptive laser cruise, that would really fill it up.

The cruise control stalk for all Lexus/Toyota models are placed in that location for easy access starting in late 1989 early 1990. Prior to having it on that location, the cruise control was seperated with an ON/OFF master power switch on the dash, and the ACCEL/RESUME & DECEL/CANCEL on the same location as the windshield wiper stalk. Talk about an ergonomic nightmare back then.