@AdamZivo There are multiple, massive implementation barriers. That kind of exam would require the assessor to know the content of the essay in depth to make the oral portion meaningful. Also, some university classes have 100s of students, no way to schedule that.
@stonepineprime The seats are a lot more comfortable- I'm pretty tall so having an adjustable headrest (which I was surprised the Tokkaido line doesn't have) makes a huge difference.