Pretty sure there's an exception for drivers but requires at minimum notarisation from Apple, but more likely a review as well.

They just developed a new framework that allows drivers to work just in user space https://developer.apple.com/documentation/driverkit

Well - recognition where it's due - that actually looks pretty great. (Assuming that, contrary to prior behavior, they actually support it, and fix bugs without breaking backwards compatibility every release, and don't keep swapping it out for newer frameworks, etc etc)

Ok what if they sold it off by default but there was a physical switch that could turn it on, that required hardware access?

Good compromise?

That’s exactly how macOS works (except it’s not a physical switch). You can disable SIP if you have hardware access to a machine.

I would be fine with jumpers, ye.