They take up space, can make editing confusing, and having them auto-minimized/static would inform users that there is no data on them.
There is always an empty lane at the bottom.
As soon as a user drops data onto a empty auto-minimized lane, it become un-minimized and resized based on the parent/main track size.
Auto-Minimized Lanes, should not be affected by zoom. They should be locked.
Perhaps also, discolour empty lanes to further inform users that they are empty, and or, have an addendum on the lane name: “Lane 3 - Empty”
Please also see:
Devs, help us keep our more complicated projects organized, tidier, and easier to navigate!