I realise that it might not be too helpful to this discussion but the DC-10 automatics had a CWS (Control Wheel Steering) mode.
Putting it simply, when CWS was selected then the control wheel was connected to the automatics and it was just like flying the aircraft manually. In other words, the pilot made a control input which signalled the autopilot to make the same control inputs to the control surfaces as demanded by the pilot.
Not many pilots that I ever met used this function but I did hear of one Far East airline that used to take-off and land in CWS. I could never work out why. Perhaps they were not very well fed!