The manufacturers have been trying to design the pilot out of the cockpit for a while so that they could sell them to operators who didn't want to pay for all that pesky training. What wasn't forseen was the reduction in engineering standards and testing requirements, demanded by the Executives, that would expose flaws in the aircraft before they were released to line operations. Boeing with the FAA's help are in a bare knuckle fight for survival and will deflect as much liability from themselves by fare means or foul.