An automation failure is scary because nobody understands what is going on or what can be done about it. Mechanical failures also occur and the risk is accepted. What are the odds of a bird strike? What are the odds of a bird strike being dangerous or catastrophic? Although Boeing isn't helping, Probably the odds or number of occurrences of mechanical failures with bad outcomes is way higher than For electronics or automation.
Is it a Similar situation to coal and nuclear power? Better the devil you know.
Related to Boeing old stats may be irrelevant since a big change in the process happened and the MAX plane updates were rushed, corners were cut, pilots were not informed on the changes and on top of that after the first crash Boeing proved that they would risk other crashes then grounding the planes until the fix is ready and even on top of that still after the first crash the pilots did not know that disagree lights won't turn on on some planes. It looks to me and I hope the investigation would find the proof that Boeing hoped they can push an update fast enough before the next crash and that with some luck the first crash fault would not be conclusive and they could blame the pilots or the airline.
I agree with you, still statistics doesn’t excuse bad engineering practices as we observed at Boeing. And if those practices continue the stats might reverse.
Is it a Similar situation to coal and nuclear power? Better the devil you know.