I have lived independently now for most of the last 7 years. I really don't think total independence is all it's made out to be. When my practical needs were taken care of, I had more energy to devote to the things I wanted to do, rather than just surviving. It is important to consider an autistic person's quality of life from their perspective. Imposing normal values on someone who probably does not share those values is not productive.
Autistic children become autistic adults.
People who continue to learn and grow and develop as anyone else does, and perhaps a bit more. Autistic adults, especially those too high functioning for group homes or sheltered workshops, are woefully under-serviced. No matter how high functioning we are, a great deal of effort is going into coping. My personal opinion is that the line is where the traits become disabling. My ability to behave near normally at times has led others to believe that I can do it all the time and if I don't then I am lazy, unmotivated, manipulative, and deliberately annoying.