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According to a new survey from UBS, 50% of respondents (that’s it?) would prefer to be on an aircraft that actually has someone piloting it. Unfortunately for them, self-driving (flying) technology is coming to the airline industry, and it’s just a matter of time before cockpits are empty. Boeing, for instance, is testing fully automated jetliners in simulators and believes that AI can replace many tasks conducted by pilots.
Much like the automotive industry, most passengers don't realize that there are quite a few autonomous systems already in place on today's aircraft—including those that land the plane. "Many modern airplanes can autoland," notes retired airline captain John Cox in a USA Today column from 2014. "These new generation jets can fly the approach, flare, touch down, track the centerline of the runway, apply brakes and deploy the ground spoilers. They cannot apply thrust reverse and cannot turn off the runway."
Much like the automotive industry, most passengers don't realize that there are quite a few autonomous systems already in place on today's aircraft—including those that land the plane. "Many modern airplanes can autoland," notes retired airline captain John Cox in a USA Today column from 2014. "These new generation jets can fly the approach, flare, touch down, track the centerline of the runway, apply brakes and deploy the ground spoilers. They cannot apply thrust reverse and cannot turn off the runway."
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