But don't you have to pass a Driver's test?
While I accept that a flat panel UI does not provide the level of feedback of a haptic throttle with reinforcing feedback - these are $250M ships. Don't we train the heck out of a helmsman before they get placed in grade to helm a ship?
I saw the kind of job Sulu (John Cho) did on the Enterprise using touch screens - and actually expected to have progressed a fair way with the UI for modern subs, destroyers etc. Obviously not. But I am drawing the line at steam donkey's and cable winches.