On a daily basis we encounter man-made systems that operate automatically and may have electrical, mechanical, chemical, hydraulic, financial or ecological characteristics. In most instances, we are not even aware of their automatic operation until there is some malfunction. A quick reflection will certainly convince anyone of the importance of automatic control in nature. It is also true that automation played a major role in the development of our highly complex technological society in the past and will surely continue to do so in the future. The theory and practices developed over the years can be applied to a wide range of automation problems, giving the field its universal character.
Automatic control is truly multidisciplinary as problems frequently involve a number of disciplines.
One cannot help but wonder about how automatic control is achieved and the objective of this talk is to answer this question. We will do so by considering a specific example. This will give us a better understanding of the pieces involved in the automatic control puzzle and the process leading up to successful solutions. Basic principles and practices will be introduced and the design process will be explored in some detail. The example chosen is the design of an automatic control system for vehicle collision avoidance.