Presumably to speed up the espresso production line. In my area, I noticed a local Starbucks and the espresso bar at Borders Books have replaced their conventional espresso machines with superautos.
The result is "espresso" that's more like dark drip coffee than true espresso. Another result is a lost customer.
The result is "espresso" that's more like dark drip coffee than true espresso. Another result is a lost customer.