Is There Any Reason Why a Pilot Needs to Be in a Commercial Flight?

The modern, particularly the modern trans trans oceanic jets that are being built right now, are in many ways, autonomous. They can take off and land themselves a with very little interaction and involvement by a human pilot. But is there any reason to thinkthat the pilot needs to be in the plane? I think his being in the plane wouth promate the passengers feel a lot better than he would if they were flying alone.