When I first had the opportunity to use a satellite navigator while driving my car in the early 2000s, it seemed like magic—even though it was a basic version that merely pointed in the right direction with an arrow and spoke in a metallic voice. At the time, the challenge was to outsmart the technology, question it, and find an alternative route that was faster. Years later, with navigators that are undoubtedly more powerful, precise, and much more affordable, I must admit that I now obediently follow the technology, simply setting the destination and then meticulously following its instructions.
I still get a certain satisfaction from complaining about the device when I end up on a deserted road or stuck in traffic, blaming it and convincing myself that, with my knowledge of the area and my sense of direction, I might have done better… a small consolation!
The truth is that over time, I have placed total and excessive trust in the machine, to the point of switching off my own critical thinking when choosing which road to take. This is what is known as *Automation Bias*, a cognitive mechanism that is especially relevant today. It describes how people tend to place too much trust in decisions, suggestions, or recommendations from automated systems, even when these may be erroneous or incomplete.
