Hi Pastor of Muppets
I'm all for the use of automation to reduce pilot workload, however its limitations must be clearly understood and its performance monitored closely.
May I humbly suggest you read the reports of Asiana Airlines into SFO and Turkish Airlines into Amsterdam. Both which highlight the over reliance of crew that the auto throttle will protect them and the failure to monitor both it and the aircraft.
As to the use or lack there of of automation in this particular accident I'm not going to speculate.