Are any software or aeronautical engineers yet attempting to design pilotless passenger planes (PPP'S)? With all of the effort currently under way to attempt to create driverless land vehicles (which I believe may be a rather misplaced effort) has anyone yet heard of any serious efforts also being made to one day try to eliminate passenger jet pilots as well?  As a former private pilot myself, such a thought seems rather ludicrous, but just wondering.  It seems to me the elimination of humans from overseeing human safety concerns such as flying or driving, would simply be "unsafe."
Serious discussion of removing passenger jet pilots?  No.

Serious discussion of making pilotless VTOL aircraft? Yes.

Uber, for one, is already working on this. Check out this quote from page 40:


  To fast-forward to the safest possible operational state for VTOL
  vehicles, network operators will be interested in the path that
  realizes full autonomy as quickly as possible.