There is no debate regarding the role humans and computers should play - humans should always play the active role in order to maintain the situation awareness required to deal with the 'unusual' events. It is a point that some of the more enlightened Human Factors boffins at Hurn have always been trying to make.
However, the technologists (and society is indirectly ruled by them because it is easier for them to make their (financial) point to the accountants) insist that we design out the fallability of humans by automating. Some of the Human Factors bods are complicit in this 'techno-centric' view because they just see an interface as an interface and don't consider the impact on how well the controller can do their job
in all circumstances, including extremis.
Well said David Finnemore, and David Parkinson - perhaps you'd like to monitor the operation of an automated car and then step in to save the day when it something goes wrong.
Rant over
