Let's get over creep as a figment of the past. Could you imagine taking an opportunity that EV's afford with their one-pedal driving, a little further in concept, like this:
Put a pivot point behind the go pedal that is just above heal height... maybe one third up from the bottom of the pedal. Springs will return the pedal to its neutral, somewhat slanted, tilted forward position.
Now, pressing on the top of the pedal, pivots the pedal "forward" and this moves the car forward - speed proportional to pivot degree. Allowing the pedal to return on the pivot to its sprung neutral position (i.e. taking foot off the pedal) the car goes into regen and will come to a complete stop, and car will hold at stop. Normal driving would allow you rest your heal on the floor, and use your toes to press the top of the pedal for go.
Pivoting the pedal "backward" (pressing in with your heal at the bottom) makes the car go in reverse direction - speed proportional to degree of pivot. You'd be allowing your heal to slide a bit using the pivot point of the pedal and your flat foot on the pedal as your muscle reference for dialing in reverse speed.
Regen could have two areas or stages of strength..using only your foot. A standard dose of regen range would be available by relaxing the pedal back toward its neutral slant.. "one-footing" the pedal to dial in just the right amount of regen for the situation. If you want max dose of strong regen then pivot the pedal in the opposite direction you're traveling - dip into your heal while traveling forward. (Think of Fred Flintstone driving his car to slow it down).
The car will not change direction after coming to a stop using maximum reverse thrusters. It just stays stopped. The pedal must first be released to neutral pivot before it goes anywhere again.
Software lets you select the proportion of regen available above and below the pivot point.. say 70% top and 30% reverse pivot. This is instead of the "standard / low" console button - we now have a slider! Low regen is accomplished by setting the proportion to something like 20% top of pivot which mean 80% is still available bottom of pivot. This would be for forward driving. When driving the car in reverse there'd be 100% regen applied for release of pedal. And remember regen slows until you stop, in either direction.. and stays stopped.
A second pedal could be brakes, as usual. Or, since we're retraining muscle memory and thinking about a better world, how about this: ditch the second brake pedal. It's just slows reaction time by having to move your foot anyway.
The pivoting "go" pedal is still on a plunger arm as it is today. BUT here's the big difference -- pressing the plunger applies physical friction brakes. As soon as any plunge is detected the car cuts applied power to the motor (whichever way it's spinning) so now pivot degree means nothing. While plunging the car also goes into regen but the important part -- friction brakes get applied proportional to how normal brakes work with plunger push strength. As soon as plunge is detected regen happens at strength of the slider setpoint, car will scavenge up to that much power so long as it's available not being eaten by friction.
Plunger spring loading is much stronger than pivot spring loading. And the spring loading balance of the pivot and plunger work such that full pivot forces forward at the top of the pedal happens before any plunge. For tactile feedback, there'd be a detent feeling offered by the pedal at maximum pivot so your foot would feel like it has hit maximum and muscle memory would then know any further pressing is going to dip into the plunger -- regen and stopping. Your ankle is for driving and your knee is for stopping.
The only thing that can happen while plunger is being pressed is the car will be coming to a stop in whatever direction traveled. Once stopped, if it stops, it stays stopped until both plunger and pivot are released to neutral slant (think: taking your foot off the pedal completely)... and still stays stopped until pedal pivot tips either way again.
With this you can get rid of the "gear" selector lever. It's just not needed, not even the Park button. Hop in and go.. butt must be in seat.. just pivot the pedal. When you're stopped just hop out and leave, car is not going anywhere. (Unless you have "creep" on because you're from 1994 and want the car to roll away?!)
Deluxe cars would have adjustable physical slant for neutral pivot position, and adjustable resting height of plunger.
I think once you drive a one pedal car like this, it would come quite naturally. The biggest untraining would be getting over the idea of mashing the go pedal to the floor for maximum thrust. But any new kid learning on a one-pedal car would get how it works and never know different. Until she has to drive an old fashioned car with all those sticks and buttons and pedals.... mashing the go pedal with put the car through the wall and she'll say "it was supposed to stop". Whole new case of unintentional acceleration.
