Earlier quoted context omitted.
The trend is to include as much as the aircraft’s capabilities in the checkride now. For an IFR checkride, if you do it in an aircraft equipped with autopilot, at least one approach will have to be flown with the autopilot. Not sure if that’s made it’s way to the PPL checkride (or been codified) but it’s inevitable.
> if you do it in an aircraft equipped with autopilot There's also a (stupid, imo) tendency for APs to conveniently become inop right before a checkride. It's not accurate to say that all pilots, or even all pilots that have taken an IR ride, are "pilots who understand the capabilities and limits of aviation autopilot technology."
For the PPL specifically, the focus is on basic airmanship in VFR conditions, and that means eyeballing the six pack (or digital equivalent) and looking out of the window. The instrument flying expectations is primarily for emergencies and preparation for future instrument rating.
But yes, I understand what you mean.