Comment by ilyt

> The end result is what looks like a significant over-engineering, but is really just an expression of how difficult it is to transport high data rate signals around PCBs and cables.

It's not just that. If it was just data speeds that's way easier, passive 10/40GBit DAC cables have been there for long time, they just use twinax (2 wire coax cable instead of differential pairs IIRC) and can go up to 7m passive, but that makes for not so bendy cable.

But USB-C so much more than few data lines, high power, legacy USB2, power negotiation and various alternate functions all in same connection.