Foot pedal operated parking brakes are legal in the UK. Some M-B use them. And 'independant' is a large variable. Most share parts with the footbrake
- drums or discs and pads and shoes - and many older a great deal more. The Austin 7 for example had the handbrake operate on the actual footbrake mechanism.
IIRC, the requirements for a handbrake efficiency have changed since most cars now have dual circuit brakes, so it is now only a parking brake rather than that plus an emergency one.