Current status and forecasts are given for the IFAC subject area “Social Impact of Automationlt”. Three broadly used approaches for dealing with these issues are identified: the traditional techno-centric, the human-centred and the socio-technical approach. From future trends in control and information technology, in society and in future impact of automation on environment, the main needs and challenges, as well as likely new applications for this area of discussion are derived. It is anticipated that the human and social aspects of automation will become in the future definitely more important than in the past.