Automation is my day job. My home is a log cabin the woods that I heat with wood (in Canadian winters). That should give you an insider's view on the reliability and trustworthiness of home automation.

The uptime on my laptops is in years because nothing in OS updates are needed. If I'm not adding new hardware or exposing services to the public why would I need to update anything?

But go ahead and dicker with the technology as a hobby. Everyone needs one.