What are your thoughts on automatic soap dispensers?

They were installed in the public restrooms at work. On the surface, it seemed like a good idea. In thinking about it, it seems sort of silly. One goes to the bathroom and then either washes their hands or doesn’t. If a person were to use a regular liquid soap pump or even a bar of soap, they are still washing their hands.

Is it just a matter of being grossed out at the thought of touching an object that might have been touched by another, or is there something beneficial about it?

Is it a ploy by soap dispenser manufacturers to create a market for their products? There is a lot more liquid soap that comes out of these automatic dispensers than seems necessary.