I wonder how bullet-proof that system is? Can you imagine the
consequences
of a malfunction?

It doesn't matter how "bullet-proof" the system is, since the whole paradigm
is flawed. Our current paradigm works pretty well: one human pilot in
command bears ultimate responsibility for the safety of flight. Anything
that helps the pilot make and execute decisions is welcome. Anything that
interferes with the pilot's control of the aircraft is asking for serious
trouble. We're not talking about elevators here - aviation is not something
that I can forsee ever being completely automated. I say this as an
electrical engineer and as a pilot.

Slashdotters show themselves to be as ignorant as the rest of the public
with respect to aviation every time an aviation related story pops up (and
it's usually a duplicate story...). I sometimes chime in over there to try
to set facts straight but I'm getting awfully tired of it. Genuine, polite
attempts to point out the issues from a pilot's perspective have been met
with ignorant, snotty and elitist replies.

It seems that there are a whole lot of people that think the amazing safety
record of the commercial aviation industry is solely due to airliner's high
technology, not the phenomenal dedication and training of the people that
maintain and fly these machines.

They are, of course, dead wrong. Just ask Al Haynes.

Blue Skies!

-Aviv Hod