When reading all these posts how bad modern technology and automation is, I have to seriously wonder how many here are really experts/ professionals. There are for sure many, you can take that from their posts. BUut there is also a number where I really have to wonder...
If you simply compare the statistics for the new fangled flying computers B777 + Airbus 340 with the really good old 707/727/DC8... whatever, you would notice that the two modern things have caused to date 0 fatalities, whereas you can count the fatalities in the good old iron in the 1000's (for each of them btw.).
And this after ~1200 of them being in service to date after almost two decades.
So much for the general statement: Áutomation is only meant to replace pilots and to kill people.
A more rational approach to this topic might be wise.
Indeed automation causes a new kind of problem. That is the communication problem between man and machine.
The criticism which I can fully understand is that airlines might be sometimes temtped to abuse the increased automation to decrease the qualification requirements for their pilots which is a BAD mistake !
Automation avoids a lot of unnecessary accidents but it also asks a lot of the pilots if something goes wrong. Then it's not as simple as pushing the yoke or pulling it anymore to save the day.