automatique

Automatique is the French term for automatic, describing equipment, systems, or processes that operate with little or no human intervention. In engineering and industry, an appareil ou système automatique follows a pre-set sequence or responds to input signals through a control system, often using feedback to correct its operation.

The word shares roots with the English “automatic,” derived from auto- meaning “self” and a suffix related to movement or operation. In French, automatisme and automatisation are related concepts referring to self-operation within systems and processes. The term is used across disciplines to distinguish self-operating or autonomous behavior from manual control.

In technical practice, automatic systems typically combine sensors, actuators, controllers, and feedback loops. A thermostat maintains a temperature by comparing the current value to a setpoint and adjusting heating or cooling. An industrial line may use sensors to detect product presence and actuators to move items along a conveyor—each function carried out with minimal direct human control. Open-loop and closed-loop configurations describe whether a system uses feedback to refine its output.

Historical development runs from early automata and self-operating mechanisms to modern automation in manufacturing, transportation, and consumer electronics. Today, automatisation is central to industrial practice and control engineering, contributing to efficiency, reliability, and safety in a wide range of applications, from household appliances to complex production systems.