I imagine that Boeing is simply ensuring that all human interfaces can be operated by software, ie the gear, flap levers, etc.

So that on the off chance that somebody produces a black box which can function like a human, they can just plug it in.

But as others have pointed out, that's highly unlikely in the foreseeable future... the autonomous car industry has effectively stalled, they've realized they can't program their way around the real world, especially in urban environments. We may well see autonomy on interstates, which offer a high degree of standardization and predictability compared to city streets.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/robots-...=hp_minor_pos1