Near miss of severe accidental injury/property damage. Problem: Safety hazard designed into cruise control switch pod. No permanent off feature. Cruise active and bypass of off switch in any mode selected by set-accel/coast-resume rocker switch. Set-accel/coast-resume rocker switch detent on my Catera failed (broke). Road bump or use of turn signal activates switch. During passing at 65mph+, right signal activated accel feature. Speed immediately increased to 80+mph and I narrowly averted rearending car(s) ahead. Similar failures may be cause of other rearenders and/or unexplained acceleration accidents. Switch configuration is not similar to U.S. designs, but operation learning curve is not difficult. Serious hazard in design. Recommend standard U.S. switch arrangement in same ergonomic pod and recal and replacement.

- Red Wing, MN, USA