In 1946, the mechanical engineer D.S. hart of the US Ford Motor Co first put forward the term "automation" and used to describe the process of automatic transmission and processing of engine cylinders. In the 1950s, with the development of automatic regulator and classical control theory, automation entered the local automation stage dominated by single variable automatic regulation system. In the 1960s, with the emergence of modern control theory and the popularization and application of electronic computers, automatic control and information processing were combined to make automation enter the comprehensive automation stage of optimal control and management of production process.

In the 1970s, the object of automation became large-scale and complex engineering and non engineering systems, involving many problems that were difficult to solve with modern control theory. The research on these problems has promoted the innovation of automation theories, methods and means, so there are large-scale system control and intelligent control of complex systems, and advanced automation systems that comprehensively utilize the achievements of computer, communication technology, system engineering and artificial intelligence, such as flexible manufacturing system, office automation, intelligent robot, expert system Decision support system, computer integrated manufacturing system, etc.