Autonomous Systems

Autonomous systems are moving beyond isolated automation to become coordinated machine decision-makers that influence how industries operate and how people live. In this clear, formal, and timely examination, Quentin G. Dalton explains how autonomy is reshaping factories, logistics, utilities, healthcare, and everyday routines by linking perception, prediction, decision, and action into faster, more adaptive systems. Readers will learn what makes autonomous systems different from traditional software, why the enabling stack of sensors, connectivity, cloud computing, edge devices, and AI matters, and how machine decision-making creates new economic advantages in speed, scale, and coordination. The book also addresses the limits of autonomy, showing where human oversight remains essential and where supervision replaces direct control. For business leaders, technologists, policymakers, and informed general readers, Autonomous Systems offers a practical framework for understanding where value is already emerging, what risks deserve attention, and how organizations can prepare for a future shaped by intelligent machines.