You can still buy machines without the lid lock. They use an alternative design that can stop motion quickly enough to meet safety standards. I can open the lid

You can still buy machines without the lid lock. They use an alternative design that can stop motion quickly enough to meet safety standards. I can open the lid on my washer in the middle of a heavy spin cycle at max RPM if I want to, but it will brake aggressively and come to a halt within 1-2 seconds. Being able to add laundry mid-cycle without asking permission from the computer is really nice.