[Jay5780]

Yeah it does stink when it comes to wearble controlls, but like you said the rues are the rules and even though this is a new rule FIRST felt the obvious need to add it.

Teams have or have tried to figure ways to get around the autonomous mode so they can cycle the program they are running, but this is not in the spirit of this years game.
Atonomous means not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent. If you hit the E-Stop to cycle your program you are controlling your bot via an outside source (the E-Stop button). And dang it's not that much time.

I thought there was no power to the controlls during the autonomous period. FIRST could have it setup that when you hit the E-Stop to kill power to your bot you don't get power back until the autonomous period is over even with the E-Stop pulled out. Something like another E-Stop upstearm from the drivers station that an official would hit after you hit yours.