Self-organizing multiagent mechatronic systems in perspective

This paper discusses the main problematic, misunderstandings and gaps associated with the development of self-organizing multiagent mechatronic systems. The paper reflects the authors´ experience in designing and implementing Multiagent Mechatronic Systems. It also partly addresses the work developed under the FP7 IDEAS project (rated an EU FP7 success story) as a clarifying, but not unique, example. In this respect the paper presents a critical overview on how the existing technology is close to support the automation concepts envisioned by emerging production paradigms that rely on Emergence and Self-Organization as main constructs of the system and why technology alone should be understand as only a mean and not a end.