In the future, separation and deployment (my prediction) will be entirely electronic (i.e. not black powder, just electronic). Your rocket will separate at apogee, and your chute will open when you want it to (e.g. Chute Release). We have the second part already, the first part (electronic deployment) will come at some point. In the future, you'll buy motors just for the "up" part, not the deployment part. They are not particularly good at that...
Plugged motors only give you the up part. Regardless of the chute release, still need pyro of some sort to pop that chute!