Automatic backlink systems like the ones mentioned above don't make your site get penalized as such.
If you have as many links coming in as you do going out, that is what will get you a penalty.
If for instance you had a site with PR1 and 100 links coming in and 80 going out,
Whether you use these systems or link exchanges you can still be penalized the same.
Google doesn't like link trades whether they be automatic or not.
This is why ABC is always the best policy or even ABCD. (not ACDC!
)
It's even listed somewhere in the webmaster section of google about this aswell.