Why hasnt a turntable manufacturer produced a table with automatic tonearm return/shutoff?

@dwette "...I would not buy a high-end turntable with this unnecessary crap. At this level I want sonic excellent that isn’t compromised with unnecessary features."

I think this captures the essence of the reason. First that audiophile equipment strives to do one thing at the very highest level of performance and reliability... absolutely, and for the money. Consumer electronics is sold on the basis of features and functions not sound quality. So  if a company released a tt with extra features it would be perceived as inferior. So at this point... it would be really difficult for a high end company to even do a turntable with a lift and return mechanism. 

@ghdprentice 

So at this point... it would be really difficult for a high end company to even do a turntable with a lift and return mechanism

Exactly, because pretty much no one at the analog high end wants this stuff. It's consumer level fluff for casual listeners. My analog front end is pretty high end, it's completely manual, that's how it should be, and that's how I like it. There is no problem to solve. Outside consumer turntables I think auto lift and return for dedicated/serious listening is a solution looking for a problem.

I remember trading in my AR manual table for a slick Yamaha automatic that started, cued the tone arm, played and returned to “off” at the touch of a button. Yet here I am in 2025, back to manual. And fine with it.

I have a Dual CS 529. It’s fully automatic. Sure, it’s not high end. But it ain’t bad and I enjoy it.  You can find it at Crutchfield or Audio Advisor - $1399. 

Technics SL-100C is semi-auto as is the Music Hall Stealth. And if you're looking for an entry-level table, most of the Fluance line is semi-auto.