I suspect cars are more fly-by-wire than you realize. And wasn't this issue with the throttle control? I suppose you could have downshifted with either type of transmission, but most drivers aren't prepared for sudden mechanical failure like this.
This happened to my dad while waiting at for a light at an intersection. Transmission in first, foot down on clutch: suddenly car leaps into intersection. This was long ago on a Volkswagen bus.
The drive by wire which is terrifying is the power steering. Traditionally it's hydraulic, but more cars are using electric. I sure hope that an electrical component failure can not lead to full turning force.
I'm not aware of any passenger car with an electronically controlled clutch. The driver in question finally resorted to pulling the handbrake, which locked up the wheels, so she lost control of the car. Flooring the clutch pedal OTOH, if she'd had one, would have saved her life.
