This has probably been brought up before…
Nearly every other modern DAW doesn’t require you to open up a whole separate lane in order to do automation edits.
To do even one small volume change, I must pop open a new lane which has a different size than the host track. Why can’t the envelope just be written over the waveform on the same track???
Trust me, it’s been brought up before.
All I can tell ya is that there is a certain amount of fatigue amongst long-time users (well, this long-time) user that so many dead obvious fixes have never been implemented. How fatigued? Well, this is simply a pasted piece of boiler plate text I use over and over. 
So don’t feel bad if yer post hasn’t be +1’d much. It doesn’t mean it’s not a great idea. It just means that people don’t feel anyone in the castle is listening.
+1
+1
My question would be:
WHICH Automation curves would be drawn over the waveform?
All of them? Drop down check box (idea!)?
And what about CC info?
Would that still be there also?
Might get a little messy.
Hugh
You can draw volume envelope just into waveform. Try pen tool (draw).
Bonus: drawing volume just into you audio clip do not prevent you form using Volume fader to adjust overal volume track volume.
+1 +1 +1 and region based automation!
+1
+1 And keep the possibility of using lanes
+1