Autopilot is one word and the definition is very strict: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autopilot

> An autopilot is a system used to control the trajectory of an aircraft, marine craft or spacecraft without constant manual control by a human operator being required. Autopilots do not replace human operators, but instead they assist them in controlling the vehicle.

That's the definition the feature name was based off of. It doesn't matter what you feel. It's a word, get over it.

The source for people who can't use wikipedia: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/a...

Edit: to those of you using "hours" as a value. Autopilot on a Tesla can drive for hours on an interstate with no intervention needed, same as a plane on a flight path. Neither system can replace humans though. It makes sense autopilot in planes is further along, it's been around longer and being in the sky is easier than driving on roads, and it's more regulated for good reasons.

Musk, you and I know what people think auto-pilot on a car does. I really wish these were not on the road.

Pilots engage autopilot and then let the computer do the work. They are not sitting ready at the stick to jump in at the slightest issue in case the system thinks the sun is another plane or some other odd error. My understanding is that the plane flies on it's own for hours. Is that incorrect? Yes for special phases humans can take charge (eg taxiing), but it's clearly demarcated.

While I am not a pilot I have been on the flight deck of a 747. Can confirm that the pilots do not touch anything for hours at a time. IIRC they mostly checked the weather, fuel, engines, altitude and heading infrequently. The aircraft flew itself all the way to the Heathrow pattern. I asked what would happen if they did nothing. They claimed the aircraft would circle above the airport until it ran out of fuel.

The plane flies on its own for hours or at least 747s do.

And it'll fly happily into a mountain or other plane, if unmonitored. Now the problem is streets are a little more crowded.

There are no mountains at the cruise altitude of a 747. TCAS will provide a warning 30 seconds before collision and the Airbus A380 has an autopilot with integrated TCAS avoidance. So it will hit neither mountains (too low) nor other aircraft (automatic avoidance).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_collision_avoidance_sy...

I'm well aware that there are no mountains at 40k feet.

Well airplane autopilots can avoid obstacles... about time after 100 years of development. (The first aircraft autopilot was developed by Sperry Corporation in 1912. The autopilot connected a gyroscopic heading indicator and attitude indicator to hydraulically operated elevators and rudder.)

> Well airplane autopilots can avoid obstacles

Technically speaking yes. But the obstacle does need to have a working TCAS transponder! An A380 won't be able to detect or avoid a military jet for example because they tend to not be too forthcoming about their locations. Some birds, most notably the Ruppell's griffon vulture, can fly into airliner airspace topping out at 37,000 ft.

However, by general agreement, only aircraft on IFR flight plans are allowed into the airliner zone and therefore pretty much all the obstacles (not military jets or birds) do have TCAS or ATC clearance.

Lastly while some aircraft do have TCAS integrated autopilot it is uncommon. Some airlines are still operating aircraft 40 years old.

It will circle the last entered waypoint and then crash once fuel is depleted. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Airways_Flight_522