Autopilot is the automatic pilot: a system that flies a plane, or steers a ship, so the human pilot does not have to hold it every second. On a long flight, the plane is often on autopilot. The person is still there; the machine is holding the path.

Autopilot Autopilot自動駕駛儀is the automatic pilot就是自動駕駛系統：a system that flies a plane, or steers a ship一種能操控飛機飛行、或操控船隻航行的系統，so the human pilot does not have to hold it every second讓人類駕駛不必每一秒都盯著操控。On a long flight長途飛行時，the plane is often on autopilot飛機常常會開著自動駕駛。The person is still there人還是在駕駛座上；the machine is holding the path只是機器在維持航線。

Though actually, everyday English stole the word. “I’m on autopilot this morning” means you are doing the usual things — wash, train, desk — without really thinking, because your body already knows the path. That loose use is now as common as the plane use, maybe more common in ordinary talk. It feels technical when you talk about aircraft, and informal, a little tired or funny, when you talk about people.

Though actually, everyday English stole the word不過其實，日常英文把這個字借走了。“I’m on autopilot this morning”「I'm on autopilot this morning我今天早上像在自動駕駛」means you are doing the usual things — wash, train, desk —意思是你在做平常那些事——洗漱、通勤、上班——without really thinking完全沒在想，because your body already knows the path因為身體早就熟悉那條路了。That loose use is now as common as the plane use這種鬆散的用法現在跟飛機那種用法一樣常見，maybe more common in ordinary talk日常對話裡甚至更常見。It feels technical when you talk about aircraft講飛機的時候聽起來很專業，and informal, a little tired or funny, when you talk about people講人的時候就顯得口語，帶點疲憊或幽默的感覺。

Some car makers also use Autopilot as a product name for driving help, which is why younger speakers may picture a car first. In careful talk, a plane on autopilot still has a pilot in the seat; it is not an empty plane flying itself.

Some car makers也have some也use Autopilot as a product name for driving help有些汽車廠商也把Autopilot當成輔助駕駛功能的產品名稱，which is why younger speakers may picture a car first這也是為什麼年輕人可能先想到車子。In careful talk嚴謹一點來說，a plane on autopilot still has a pilot in the seat開著自動駕駛的飛機，駕駛座上還是有人；it is not an empty plane flying itself不是一台空機自己飛。