Industry 4.0 is the fourth industrial revolution, following the first three industrial revolutions. The first industrial revolution began in the late 18th century with the mechanization of textile production. The second industrial revolution began in the late 19th century with the introduction of mass production and assembly lines. The third industrial revolution began in the late 20th century with the introduction of automation and computerization.
The term Industry 4.0 was first introduced in 2011 at the Hanover Fair, a leading trade fair for industrial technology. However, the concept of Industry 4.0 had been discussed for several years prior.