Editing Automation (section)

==Health and environment==
{{Original research section|date=March 2018}}

The costs of automation to the environment are different depending on the technology, product or engine automated. There are automated engines that consume more energy resources from the Earth in comparison with previous engines and vice versa.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} Hazardous operations, such as [[oil refining]], the manufacturing of [[Chemical industry|industrial chemicals]], and all forms of [[metal working]], were always early contenders for automation.{{dubious|date=October 2013}}{{citation needed|date=October 2013}}

The automation of vehicles could prove to have a substantial impact on the environment, although the nature of this impact could be beneficial or harmful depending on several factors. Because [[automated vehicle]]s are much less likely to get into accidents compared to human-driven vehicles, some precautions built into current models (such as [[anti-lock brake]]s or [[laminated glass]]) would not be required for self-driving versions. Removal of these safety features reduces the weight of the vehicle, and coupled with more precise acceleration and braking, as well as fuel-efficient route mapping, can increase [[fuel economy in automobiles|fuel economy]] and reduce emissions. Despite this, some researchers theorize that an increase in the production of self-driving cars could lead to a boom in vehicle ownership and usage, which could potentially negate any environmental benefits of self-driving cars if they are used more frequently.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4476614/self-driving-cars-environment/ |title=Self-Driving Cars Could Help Save the Environment—Or Ruin It. It Depends on Us|magazine=Time }}</ref>

Automation of homes and home appliances is also thought to impact the environment. A study of energy consumption of automated homes in Finland showed that [[smart home]]s could reduce energy consumption by monitoring levels of consumption in different areas of the home and adjusting consumption to reduce energy leaks (e.g. automatically reducing consumption during the nighttime when activity is low). This study, along with others, indicated that the smart home's ability to monitor and adjust consumption levels would reduce unnecessary energy usage. However, some research suggests that smart homes might not be as efficient as non-automated homes. A more recent study has indicated that, while monitoring and adjusting consumption levels do decrease unnecessary energy use, this process requires monitoring systems that also consume an amount of energy. The energy required to run these systems sometimes negates their benefits, resulting in little to no ecological benefit.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Environmental Impacts and Benefits of Smart Home Automation: Life Cycle Assessment of Home Energy Management System|journal=IFAC-Papers on Line|volume=48|page=880|doi=10.1016/j.ifacol.2015.05.158|year=2015|last1=Louis|first1=Jean-Nicolas|last2=Calo|first2=Antonio|last3=Leiviskä|first3=Kauko|last4=Pongrácz|first4=Eva|url=http://jultika.oulu.fi/files/nbnfi-fe201703082017.pdf|doi-access=free}}</ref>