Engineering choice. Some companies mount it lower in the fascia where it can be hidden, improving aesthetics at the expense of performance (lower line of sight = reduced ability to detect obstacles).
I don't know if I agree with that. Mine is in a small window right beside the fog light. It "sees"for a real long ways...too far IMO that I have to lower the distance while on the 401. And this is back in 2004.
It was later replaced with the sensors in the emblem on the grill.
i'm assuming your car only has adaptive cruise though...a lot of newer cars also integrate pedestrian detection, auto braking/collision warning, etc.
Bingo.
Negative on the bingo. While I don't have pedestrian, I DO have pre-collision warning system and auto braking. I even posted some videos of the system in action for No-San I think. Again...this system is nearly 15 years old now so an early system.
Despite this early system being set on the bottom of bumper or the grill, it's canted ever so slightly so it sees to the "horizon". It's not like it only dead straight from where it sits. Millimeter radar and lasers almost of any type sees a looong way. Despite this being the 1st gen of PCS, the system sees objects beyond ~100 meters ahead.
I'd have to imagine with the tech currently available today vs 2004 that these systems would not only be better (they are!), but be better packaged and smaller (it doesn't seem like it is in this case).
YMMV.
I don't think this makes the car "bad" in any way. Just a curious omissions or cost cutting measure as people are pointing out.