Plural of autopilot; systems that automatically control an aircraft, ship, or vehicle without constant human input, or metaphorically, doing things habitually without thinking.
From Greek 'auto-' (self) and 'pilot' (someone who steers). The term emerged in early aviation in the 1920s-1930s as automatic flight control systems were developed.
Modern autopilots are so sophisticated that they can land airplanes in near-zero visibility—yet pilots are required to actively pay attention anyway, because machines fail and humans need to be ready to take over instantly!
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