You should see the magazines from Japan (especially the car magazines).

The weight of this folding mechanism would tank the fuel economy of this car. Think about the stresses it would have to handle in even normal driving situations... and because of safety concerns, it would have to be overbuilt.

3rd world wages? How much do Microsoft engineers make? How much do Google engineers make? There are still plenty of openings in the US, and they take the best candidates in order to stay competitive.

Jesus, a lot of generalizing going on. Not all programmers are aesthetically challenged, and not all designers care only about the looks. I know many GOOD UI designers with proper training, and they have a very rigorous process they employ to ensure the usability of their projects. I also know many programmers who intuitively understand good usability for the less technically-minded. Saying all UI designers are useless because Unity's UI sucks is like saying all programmers are incompetent because Windows ME sucks.

So let me get this straight: you don't think there are any good UI designers out there at all? Then does that mean that there isn't a single UI you like? If you hate everything and don't suggest any useful fixes or good examples, then your post is simply a useless rant.

I'll give you a few that I like:

Most of the Adobe Suite (gets better and better IMO)
Autodesk Sketchbook Pro (simple, doesn't get in the way)
Autodesk Maya (insanely complex program, well organized UI)
Solidworks (same comments as Maya)
Firefox (perfectly usable, don't see your beef with it)
Alchemy (minimal and effective)

I'd also point out that there are online apps with excellent UI's as well.

Here are a few I don't like:

Blender pre-2.5 (2.5+ looks like it is much improved after the help of a UI designer)
GIMP (brush system is ridiculous, default palette layout is intrusive)

There are many projects out there that would benefit greatly from a competent UI designer like Blender has.

What? The typical user loathes interfaces "designed" by software engineers. See this article:

www.uxdesignedge.com/2010/03/dont-design-like-a-programmer/

Maybe you don't like Unity, but judging an entire group of professional designers by the worst example is stupid. That's like saying all programmers should be punished for Windows ME. Learn a bit about what they do, what they bring, etc. before you bash. Otherwise, STFU.

jrumney beat me to it, but I agree 100%. I don't find these results surprising at all.

I think web designers with little to no programming experience account for this, no?

Those who use C++, Java, etc. are more likely to either be in training to become software engineers (for whom stackoverflow would be cheating), or are working as software engineers (and rarely need stackoverflow).

80 companies involved yet they couldn't hire a decent designer? Looks like one of those Chinese ripoffs. The aesthetics definitely matter if they want this to be a car people want to purchase and drive. The interior looks like it was modeled in an old version of Solidworks.

Many people assume that this is a motorcycle. I hope they change the silly name.

That's retarded. Why shouldn't art students take classes in other subjects? Steve Jobs spoke about a typography class and how it shaped aspects of the Mac OS later.

I see a huge problem when there is such a disconnect between programmers and artists in a game development team. Even if they get just a taste of "development", classes like this can be VERY beneficial to artists, if for nothing else than gaining an appreciation for developers and the development process. I would say the same about programmers learning a bit about art and design.

I've seen how similar classes have educated artists about the entire process of building a game instead of just art assets, and they were better artists because of that knowledge.

I had a Nokia 8210 a long time ago. Granted it's ancient history, but that phone was definitely sensitive to how you held it. If you touched the top of the phone, the signal strength dropped dramatically. Haven't had a Nokia since.

I'm just sayin'... I've experienced similar antenna issues in other brands... looking at you, Nokia.

I know it seems minor, but I always hated waiting for my computer to bootup. I usually won't turn on my workstation just to play a game, so the only time I play a game is either at lunch or after work when it's already on (and when I'm tired after a full day of work). Maybe subconsciously I relate PC gaming to work.

Ergonomically, I hate playing on my PC. Some people enjoy playing immersive games with their nose 12" from the screen, but I prefer sitting back on a couch and playing games on a TV.

My main rig is for work, so I don't want to move it to the living room, but like I said I prefer playing on my TV over my monitor. Plus when I play social games I don't like having to cram my friends in my studio.

These little hassles have a cumulative effect over time, and I find myself playing PC games less and less.

I render/paint in Photoshop and Painter, and that is where GIMP really fails. The brush system is absolutely horrid, with half of the controls under the toolbox and the other half on the brush palette.

Not to mention the silly UI takes up a large portion of my 24" monitor and is useless on my laptop. The toolbox is HUGE and leaves little space for the actual workspace.

About the Aptera:
I rather hate the look of it, but I'm guessing the reason for the trike configuration is that it can be licensed as a motorcycle in the US. If I remember correctly the laws are changing regarding the license to operate a trike however.

Also TFA mentions that the Aptera is front wheel drive.