@The Science Elf - the control of the socket is (more or less) advanced , but the socket + plug are not ... USA standards even demand grounded protective steel pipes around cables ( = safty beyond what is in Europe) , but the plugin-in / pull out is as dangerous as around WW1 ( = 100 years behind the time) ... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ihau12C9uq8.html Also Earth down (instead on top) is a big No-No ( UK did it right from the beginning in 1911 ) , most USA style sockets are installed this way in USA & all over the planet ... note: also the Israeli socket performs the same Fail ( it is basically the German HNA-socket in it's domestic variant from 1928 www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/Schuko-origin.html + www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/EU_special.html also with un-sleeved plug pins & non-recessed sockets just like the USA system ) ... also Danish plugs & the pre-1942 old British plugs used in India etc. same problem ... Australia & Switzerland fixed it ~10 Years ago.