Automatic Transmission Floor Shift problems of the 2003 Toyota Highlander

The contact noticed while stopping at a red light she reached over to get something and hit the gear shift with her hand and with her foot on the brake the vehicle shifted from drive to neutral without pushing the button on the gear shift. Her concern is that if the car is in low drive, second gear or neutral it can be shifted, this defect can cause an accident. Contact called Toyota, and they said this was a safety feature which was meant to do that. Consumer was never told by dealer that this was a feature of vehicle. She believed that this was very dangerous and was a safety issue. Consumer states vehicle does not shift into reverse without pressing the button.