>With the increase in automation, the labor costs aren't as much of a differentiator

and unsurprisingly, the imported goods are the goods that are still heavily reliant on labor cost.

If automation was possible, it would be the preference of any business to use that over human labor, simply for the consistency of output and ability to control cost factors. I do believe this to be the case in most instances.

Thats why car companies have long advocated for tariffs on imported vehicles (and is one tariff we have consistently held for a long time).