the role of flying the aircraft has largely shifted from humans to computers.the role of today's pilot is to interface with those computers.hence his competency is to be measured in that role.crashes have been caused because of gaps in that interface.
The Loss of Control crashes we are talking about have very little to do with misunderstanding by the pilots of mode control or selection/interface of the computers. The crashes were the result of the apparent total inability of the pilot in command to fly manually in IMC after the autopilot has either disengaged itself or was disengaged by the pilot.
The investigation report of one Middle Eastern 737 loss of control at night shortly after take off said the captain was continually calling for the autopilot to be engaged even as the 737 was in a steep spiral dive until it hit the sea. It is drawing a long bow to claim the cause was because of gaps in the interface between the crew and computers. The cause was sheer incompetency by the captain in hand flying on instruments in IMC. The question then arises about the efficacy or otherwise in his simulator training.