I do not contest that this is a highly dangerous arrangement. However, I do think that the original design was safe and that there was no open space at all nearby. If I were right, this is actually a dangerous situation created by UX in the sense UX is more related to marketing than the more traditional concepts of human factors and usability had been. "What may we do with this space in those markets? Surely you want some convenient space in the central console to drop your things! Why didn't they think of this in the first place?" (A human factors expert, on the other hand, would have told you that there had to be at least some sort of self-closing lid, just like car ashtrays used to have them for decades.)
It's categorically dangerous to have a easily pressed button shift gears in the car. I don't see how it's relevant that some designer can say "don't put something that can be used as a cupholder next to it".
The design creates a hazard that's categorically avoided in other vehicles, without any benefit other than saving a few dollars for the manufacturer. I can't imagine what else they're gaining over having a traditional gear stick there, it would take up the same amount of space.
I don't think that the buttons are for cost saving, rather, buttons are thought to be modern (even, if they are not, think of the starter buttons found in recent cars as well as in early ones) and levers and gears are not. (UX again, probably aiming at a fly-by-wire experience.)
P.S.: The entire central console arrangement is always a bit questionable in cars with a manual gear shift, even in the traditional layout. If a passenger wants to access some in the console, s/he inadvertently interferes with the driver's action. Certainly not a good thing… – At some point, you need to know, what you may do and what not in order to avoid dangerous situations, and there will be probably always off-limits zones by convention. But, of course, you should do everything possible in your design to avoid hazardous situations and mishandling, and to communicate usage as clearly as possible.
