"These edge-cases are uninteresting IMO."

On the contrary, these edge cases are by far the most interesting thing. Not just tabloid-interesting, but in terms of generating usable data.

On the contrary. The edge cases are really all that count.

We shouldn't demand that our systems work in 100% of cases. Nine Nines -- or even less, in the case of autos -- is enough.

You can argue that autonomous flight doesn't yet have Nine Nines. I would probably agree. But "Miracle on the Hudson" was just that, and extremely rare situations should not be a standard-bearer for allowing autonomous flight. In the same way that suicidal/homicidal humans shouldn't be the standard-bearer for allowing human flight.