Jose wrote:
Handling the robot (turning on the autopilot) apparantly counts as
handling a control.



Yup. Whereas a passenger does not count as a control. That distinction
per se (between what is and isn't a control) is reasonable


Why?

This is a serious question, especially considering the capabilities of
some robots, and the lack of capability of some organic autopilots.


It's a distinction without a difference. Nobody with more than three
brain cells left who goes flying for an hour and lets their 10 year old
kid fly for 30 minutes of that hour only logs 30 minutes as PIC.