Going with the automatic search driver option no longer connects to the internet and the process is ended immediately (rather than half a minute or so later) once Device Manager fails to detect a new/better driver version for a device and asks users -- as it did before - to try their luck and search on Windows Update.

The change can be seen as a way to streamline the update experience on Windows.

It's an approach that would likely become more convincing once Microsoft finally sorts out the messy Control Panel/Settings app situation.