The goal is to switch high power with low power (TTL logic level). If somethings goes wrong then the user might want to kill the system until further damages happens.
Mechanical relay or MOSFET can be used for such application.
The MOSFET can be damaged if driven incorectly.
Applying gate-source voltage will decrease drain-source resistance over time. If the drain-source resistance decreases too slow while drain-source current is conducted then the MOSFET will heat up and possably get damaged. The time it takes to reach fully turned on MOSFET depends on gate capacitance, gate resistance and the MOSFET gate driver ability to deliver current.
Applying too high gate-source voltage will damage the MOSFET.
The MOSFET internal capacitance and the wires inductance combined will inevitably create a RLC curcuit.
A step response on the V_GS will have a oscilation. Higher gate resistance => higher damping, higher switch time. Lower gate resistance => lower damping, lower switch time.
It's up to the user to find a fine balance between the switch time and parasitic oscillation.
MOSFET gate driver.
http://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/us/design-support/document/application-note.html Application Precautions: Power MOSFET Application Notes
Taking all these into consideration when designing a MOSFET driver is a hard task.
The goal is to measure the both high current, low current.
The goal is too protect from short curcuit.
The goal is to check if there power on the line.
The goal is to check if the battery cell is to low.