I used to design nuclear reactor control systems. One of the never ending debates was how much to automate and how much to leave for the reactor operators (or p

I used to design nuclear reactor control systems. One of the never ending debates was how much to automate and how much to leave for the reactor operators (or pilots in this case). There is no clear cut answer since with today's technology its possible to automate everything. However, if you over-automate you get a detached, bored reactor operator who suddenly has to take control if things go wrong. On the other had human error is one of the most common causes of industrial accidents and plane crashes. Tough engineering choices.