The electronic digital computer invented in the 1940s ushered in a new era of digital program control. Although it was still limited to automatic calculation at that time, the successful manufacture of ENIAC and EDVAC ushered in a new era of electronic digital program control. The invention of electronic digital computer laid the foundation for the wide application of program control and logic control in control system and the direct control of production process by electronic digital computer in the 1960s and 1970s.

Since the late 1950s, it has been a period of integrated automation. During this period, space technology has developed rapidly, and there is an urgent need to solve the optimal control problem of multivariable systems. So modern control theory was born. The formation and development of modern control theory has laid a theoretical foundation for integrated automation. At the same time, microelectronic technology has made new breakthroughs. Transistor computer appeared in 1958, integrated circuit computer appeared in 1965 and single-chip microprocessor appeared in 1971. The emergence of microprocessor has a great impact on control technology. Control engineers can easily use microprocessor to realize various complex controls and make comprehensive automation a reality. "Automation" was proposed by American D.S. harder in 1936. He believes that in a production process, the transfer of parts between machines without human handling is "automation".