If we take this topic down the track of designing for 'inclusivity' then I think the use of personas is very important when undertaking any type of design project i.e. ensuring that you're using a full diverse set of personas. 

One of my personal bug bears (which is something that irritates me every single time I get into a car) is that standard seatbelts are not designed with women in mind. I am constantly having to adjust my seatbelt while I'm driving to stop it rubbing against the side of my neck. Women generally have longer legs and shorter torsos whereas men have shorter legs and longer torsos so they sit higher in a car seat.  A seatbelt therefore sits comfortably across their shoulder, but for women, it really doesn't!  I know we can buy seatbelt adjusters but should they not come as standard in vehicles? Forgive me if they are now standard in modern cars, both my cars are over 20 years old now! 

Another example I see all the time is the issue with right hand bias. My partner is left handed whereas I am right handed so things that are comfortable and make sense to me, don't for him. We have an ongoing argument on which way a key should turn to open a lock . I was really pleased to see the other day, a craft workshop for Beginners Calligraphy that was specifically for those who are left handed! . 

But yes John Peckham and Sergio Fernandez it is about putting yourself in someone else's shoes and understanding the challenges that others face.

If we take this topic down the track of designing for 'inclusivity' then I think the use of personas is very important when undertaking any type of design project i.e. ensuring that you're using a full diverse set of personas. 

One of my personal bug bears (which is something that irritates me every single time I get into a car) is that standard seatbelts are not designed with women in mind. I am constantly having to adjust my seatbelt while I'm driving to stop it rubbing against the side of my neck. Women generally have longer legs and shorter torsos whereas men have shorter legs and longer torsos so they sit higher in a car seat.  A seatbelt therefore sits comfortably across their shoulder, but for women, it really doesn't!  I know we can buy seatbelt adjusters but should they not come as standard in vehicles? Forgive me if they are now standard in modern cars, both my cars are over 20 years old now! 

Another example I see all the time is the issue with right hand bias. My partner is left handed whereas I am right handed so things that are comfortable and make sense to me, don't for him. We have an ongoing argument on which way a key should turn to open a lock . I was really pleased to see the other day, a craft workshop for Beginners Calligraphy that was specifically for those who are left handed! . 

But yes John Peckham and Sergio Fernandez it is about putting yourself in someone else's shoes and understanding the challenges that others face.

Unfortunately a lot of discrimination is embedded in standards, so takes some leadership from engineers to remedy. 

The example you've cited of vehicles been designed for men is a good example - manufacturers design around SAR J963 which uses a 50th percentile adult male.  I would argue this antiquated practice is dangerous.

Not only does it completely disregard women and disabled people, but the 50th percentile adult male does not actually exist either. Indeed whilst these use medians, the absurdity is best highlighted by the mean. If you were to take the mean human they would have about 1.9 legs, the mean adult would be substantially shorter than the median. The medians look so out of proportion that they would make a life sized Barbie and Ken look reasonable. 

Lt. Gilbert S Daniels discovered back in the 1950s that USAF fighters had cockpits designed back in the 1920s around a statistical survey of pilots. And that this was causing accidents as few real pilots had any resemblance to the statistical medians. 

Good design mustn't overfit around the user. And standards should be frameworks not straightjackets.