The automation technology of surgical robots (SR) integrates key techniques such as force feedback, visual feedback, medical image alignment, and surgical navigation. This integration not only effectively reduces the workload of surgeons, enabling them to focus more on the overall execution of the surgical procedure, but also decreases reliance on surgical experience, contributing to the standardization and homogenization of surgical outcomes. Although most current SR systems are primarily used for assisting operations, some robots have demonstrated conditional automation capabilities, showcasing significant potential in automated surgery research. However, the development of automated surgery still faces numerous challenges, including limited perception capabilities, constraints of artificial intelligence algorithms, and technical bottlenecks in surgical navigation. This paper summarizes the key technologies of commonly used SR systems globally, analyzes the progress in automation research, and discusses the challenges and trends in future development.