[PhasmaFelis]

> We're all just a slip of the steering wheel away from instant death on the roads. This is just an unfortunate fact of life. Do the car manufacturers "need to be punished" every time someone screws up?

If I'm not paying attention while driving and get wrapped around a telephone pole, that's my fault. If my car bursts into flames on a minor fender-bender because the gas tank wasn't placed properly, that's the manufacturer's fault--and I believe there's plenty of legal precedent to support that.

Again, it's about expected/accepted danger vs. unreasonable danger. Not everything can be made marshmallow-safe, but we do expect a reasonable effort to keep hazards within expected bounds.

> The shampoo example is ridiculous. Why would someone put HCL in a shampoo?

I dunno! Why would someone serve a beverage meant for human consumption at flesh-melting temperatures? That's pretty ridiculous!

> Now as for coffee: cripplingly dangerous?

Stella Liebeck was literally crippled by it. I'm not sure what else you want.