I for one don't think you are crazy and have thought about this exact same thing as I purchase cars. People don't realize that increase in technology and chemicals in our food and the increase in cancer rates cannot be ignored.
Anyway, just for your information, the passenger seat on the 3-series is awfully high too. I don't remember exactly how I but I remember multiple threads over in the 3-series forum and ///M3 forum about people who have measured it and how its much higher in the passenger side then driver side. BMW might be getting lazy or cheap with their shielding, but who knows.....its definitely something the manufacturers must crack down on, and if not, perhaps it might take the gov nudging them a bit
Cheers,
e46e92