Originally Posted by
ferry pilot
The backup and takeover could be done from the ground, public perception and marketing with the same smoke and mirrors applied to everything else..
The technology is there already. This will surely be the future one day for cargo aeroplanes, considered their payload is more easily expandable w. r. t. keeping the business after a total crash and settlement of the insurance cost.
For PAX ops, I do not think so. Whilst I agree about your smoke and mirrors observation, it still feels like there are sufficient number of sub-critical masses to keep a human element inside a steering chamber on board forever.
Yes, words flight deck or pilot will become obsolete.