Flying an aircraft is tiring work. The aviator is constantly in need of adjusting trim to keep the aircraft in level flight. Having an automated system adjust the trim relieves the aircrew from this mundane task and does it far better than a human because it adjusts several times per second whereas humans take several seconds to make one adjustment.
The takeoff, approach, and landing phases of flying are almost universally automated, especially considering heavily congested airfields like Dulles, Reagan National, Atlanta, O’Hare, LaGuardia, LAX, Tokyo, Heathrow, Berlin, etc. where flights arrive every 30-60 seconds. Pre-defined departure and approaches are programmed and executed on command. Far more efficient, but any problem is potentially catastrophic.
Hmmm. Not really buying that one. Auto trim is great but that can be turned off right?
Should call the auto pilot the Kamikaze switch?