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It's difficult to compare flight autopilot and automobile autopilot.

Flight autopilot generally warns when terrain or traffic is advancing. You can also program routes, etc. on the flight management computer which connects and controls autopilot. Many planes even autoland in certain conditions.

Agreed.

Growing up, I spent a lot of time on boats. The county I grew up in was primarily a fishing/crabbing economy. Autopilot on boats is like this. It maintains a compass heading. At no point does it steer you around obstacles or react to anything other than changes in the compass heading induced by drift, waves, currents, wind, etc.

Do consumers know this?