I remember an interesting case a few years ago: a pier on a big lake in Germany was going to be extended into a bridge right across the lake and it was programmed into the sat nav. The project was then delayed, but a driver was told by his sat nav to cross the "bridge".
Bystanders were amazed to see a new MB drive resolutely along the pier then right off the end and into the water. Luckily the driver survived and excused himself by saying that the sat nav had told him to go there.
Now almost everything these days turns out to be an Urban Myth, and perhaps this is one, but it was widely reported in the media.
However, it is an example of human fallibility:
1) the programmers had mapped something which did not exist...tech fail.
2) the driver - trusting the technology to the point of diminishing his own responsibility - drove into the water, possibly comparable to the recent Asiana incident...."pilot" fail.
Our solitary airliner pilot of the near future could just be a pre-flight checker, a voice for the passengers to hear, and an emergency back up. A whole career perhaps with little to do and little point in being there. Not a very good incentive to hone skills, and no way to stay alert or even awake for the one critical time that he or she might be needed.
Last edited by joy ride; 25th Aug 2013 at 08:19.