Laboratory automation systems are seen as the key to reducing integration efforts and increasing connectivity, reuse, and scalability. However, standards need to be developed for controlling laboratory equipment, to describe, and exchange system and device capability information. In addition, avenues must be found to accommodate the common differences in automation devices. Three standardization efforts addressing instrument interfacing and integration problems were described. The first effort was the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), E1989-98 standard or the Laboratory Equipment Control Interface Specification (LECIS). This standard defined a uniform deterministic remote control protocol for laboratory equipment. The second and third standardization efforts were under the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), the Device Capability Dataset (DCD) and the System Capability Dataset (SCD). The DCD described the idiosyncratic characteristics of laboratory equipment and the SCD accounted for interdevice relationships, dependencies, and resources that are shared among devices, describing the system-level capabilities. Current implementation projects demonstrate the feasibility and real-world benefits of the ASTM LECIS, the DCD, and SCD. These standardization efforts are designed to foster the plug and play of laboratory instruments. Figures, and references