Microsoft actually has a driver updater with windows update that downloads and installs not just basic drivers but also OEM crapware onto your PC. It is on by default.

I know this because I had a PC where Microsoft insisted on installing a broken GPU driver that left me with nothing but a black screen. I had to install windows on that PC with it disconnected from the internet because if Windows Update merely got wind of the driver existing it would insist on downloading and installing it even after disabling driver updates.

It seems like the disable option is hidden in the advanced tab of the ancient computer properties dialog, I can't remember seeing it in the mess of new settings menus but those change all the time so I don't really bother learning them anyway.

Also anyone who's plugged in a Razer product has seen the driver download mechanism in action. Razer drivers include the installer for their Synapse software so you get the installer prompt when plugging one in.

As annoying as I think it is that they let the hardware manufacturers include software like that in the bundles uploaded to Windows Update, I wouldn't be surprised if they're actually offering the experience most people expect (the software is a part of the product's whole feature set after all).

IIRC SDIO sources drivers from various motherboard, peripheral, and prebuilt/laptop vendors (not always the same company that made your laptop!), and does not always pick the latest/best version or the right driver for a peripheral. Personally I use it when I can't find a driver myself, and it often finds a working driver (but possibly not always).

Why would Microsoft prioritize silly feature like auto discovery of hardware and installing the drives when they could put that time towards more meaningful features. For example, more Ads, making the systems settings menu worse, more Bing AI features, etc