t's just that many if not most carriers treat automation as the third pilot,
In mid 90's I worked in Italy and this was the attitude of the XAA. You could operate 16 hrs with 2 crew if the A/P was available. It was the 3rd pilot to allow crew to sleep in the cockpit. Heavy crew = 24hrs. That was only 20 years ago in Europe. EASA has, perhaps, made some improvements.
no airline really "gets it", primarily because they believe that they can't afford to;
Indeed, from experience.
I was appalled/intrigued to see a Peugeot 208 advert lauding the auto-active braking system and self-parking system. The video showed a demo of the braking system if you became too close to metal rocks ahead. And this is supposed to enhance driver awareness? How long before motorway tail-gating at 70mph becomes the norm because you believe HAL will say the day. You select cruise control and do no more than steer.; but there is even a lane wander warning system too. so...???? And when you arrive home to push PARK and then go inside for a cold one. Let's wait and see what happens after the first huge motorway pile up and a smoking hole.
The world is going mad and in the hands of technocrats. They do because they can, not necessarily because it is necessary. Sound familiar?