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Autopilot vs Autonomous - What's the difference?

autopilot | autonomous |

As a noun autopilot

is autopilot.

As an adjective autonomous is

self-governing intelligent, sentient, self-aware, thinking, feeling, governing independently.

autopilot

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being.
  • I set the autopilot to due south, so I could get some rest.
  • A state of mind where one no longer thinks about doing one's actions, but acts mechanically
  • I've been doing this 12 hours non-stop, and am so hungry and tired that I've stopped thinking: I'm now on autopilot .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (of a vehicle) To pilot itself; to drive or travel automatically.
  • ----

    autonomous

    English

    Adjective

    (head)
  • Self-governing. Intelligent, sentient, self-aware, thinking, feeling, Governing independently.
  • Acting on one's own or independently; of a child, acting without being governed by parental or guardian rules.
  • (Celtic linguistics, of a verb form) Used with no subject, indicating an unknown or unspecified agent; used in similar situations as the passive in English (the difference being that the theme in the English passive construction is the subject, while in the Celtic autonomous construction the theme is the object and there is no subject).
  • Synonyms

    * (governing independently) sovereign, self-governing * (acting on ones own behalf) selfstanding, self-directed

    Antonyms

    * heteronomous

    Derived terms

    * autonomously * semiautonomous

    See also

    * autonomous area * autonomous navigation