Only a fool would say fully automated planes will never happen
Maybe I'm that fool then, if you mean a fully automated, sans pilot, commercial passenger aircraft.
Insurance premiums will go through the roof, the product liability cover required will outstrip fuel costs and I've mentioned it before, on other threads, security and suicidal maniacs, but this thread isn't about that so I'll stop here.
(The R&D costs to get a pilotless pax aircraft that satisfies the regulators and is considered an insurable risk by underwriters will run to billions, assuming anyone can be found to stump up these funds, pilots are cheaper!).