[namibj]

Modern electronics can easily offer ring-to-motor latency low enough to elude perception (though they likely won't go for a truly imperceptible latency, that wouldn't be out of reach), with resolution/step-size competitive with the mechanical backlash of a manual focus ring setup, and the convenience of the focus pulling input knob/ring only having a cable between it and the focus motor in the lens.

If fast (aperture) zoom lenses for sport photography had ultrasonic ring motors for auto focus 10 years ago, at low-to-medium quad-digits for the entire lens, and minimal (AF-included) shutter lag being a major selling point (next to the lack of audible frequency motor noise), there can't be a true technical limitation preventing lenses for "cinema" use from relying on a pair of motors to allow a mechanical/optical coupling between zoom and focus.

I did not mean to use an autofocus on the sensor side; rather just on the actuator side.