The approximately 70-year development of the field of automation technology is traced, which has made a significant contribution to overall technological progress. The treatment is structured in stages, each beginning with innovations of key importance. This includes discussions on application focuses, the technical means available at that time, and the theoretical methods developed to meet the requirements. Following the historically oriented presentations, information on the future development of the field is provided. Finally, it is demonstrated that the repertoire of methods developed within the discipline can also be applied to solve pressing global problems, thereby establishing automation as a key discipline.