Maybe someone here can enlighten me as to why the systems, specifically TCAS and GPWS in modern civilian planes are only ever used to issue warnings/recommendations, but never take control? it would have at least prevented the überlingen mid air collision and probably some other CFIR incidents in the past years.
I thought about this for a while and couldn't come up with a really good reason.
Fighter aircraft frequently engage in maneuvers that are seconds away from hitting the ground (or water) if something goes wrong.
überlingen was a tragic anomaly caused by multiple factors, the pilots knew they were on a collision course but due to the conflict between TCAS and ATC they collided. This possibility has been reduced by issuing a TCAS reversal if the other jet responds differently than expected.
Upgrading to fully autonomous systems adds a lot of cost but is only going to make a difference in a small number of incidents (civilian aircraft don't fly as low and fast as fighters, and civilian pilots aren't distracted by being shot at).