When something is automated, computers and machines do the job, not people.

When something is automated當某件事是automated的時候, computers and machines do the job, not people是電腦和機器在做這件事，不是人。

A factory can be automated: robots put the pieces together, and a computer watches the line. A phone line can be automated too — you press 1, press 2, and never speak to a person.

A factory can be automated一間工廠可以是automated的: robots put the pieces together, and a computer watches the line機器人把零件組裝起來，電腦則盯著生產線。A phone line can be automated too電話系統也可以是automated的 — you press 1, press 2, and never speak to a person你按1、按2，完全不用跟真人講話。

Though actually, people stretch it. We say automated messages, automated lights, automated check-in, even when the machine is quite simple and no “robot army” is involved.

Though actually不過其實, people stretch it大家會把這個字用得比較寬鬆。We say automated messages, automated lights, automated check-in我們會說automated messages（自動訊息）、automated lights（自動燈光）、automated check-in（自動報到）, even when the machine is quite simple and no 'robot army' is involved就算機器其實很簡單，也沒有什麼「機器人大軍」參與。

The word feels a little technical: you hear it at work, in the news, and in ads for software.

The word feels a little technical這個字聽起來有點技術性: you hear it at work, in the news, and in ads for software你會在職場、新聞，和軟體廣告裡聽到它。

It is the adjective, and also the -ed form of the verb automate: the warehouse is automated; they automated the warehouse last year.

It is the adjective, and also the -ed form of the verb automate它是形容詞，也是動詞automate的-ed形式: the warehouse is automated; they automated the warehouse last year像the warehouse is automated（倉庫是自動化的）；they automated the warehouse last year（他們去年把倉庫自動化了）。

Automatic is the cousin you already know — an automatic door opens by itself — but automated usually points to a whole job or system taken over by machines, not one small trick.

Automatic is the cousin you already knowAutomatic是你已經認識的表親 — an automatic door opens by itselfautomatic door（自動門）會自己打開 — but automated usually points to a whole job or system taken over by machines但automated通常指的是整個工作或系統被機器接手, not one small trick而不是一個小小的機關。