This paper focuses on the developmental progression of robots evolving from "automation−autonomy" towards "selfhood" in technological evolution. Robots have undergone industrial automation and collaborative autonomy and are now advancing into the new generation of embodied intelligent robots characterized by a stage of "selfhood". Only with certain cognitive abilities and a sense of intelligent boundaries can robots serve humans more effectively. The connotations of automated, autonomous, and selfhood robot systems are discussed, key technologies of robot selfhood are analyzed, and the characteristics of the three different stages are compared. The journey toward robot "selfhood" still faces challenges including technical bottlenecks, pressures from ethical and social restructuring, and lagging legal frameworks. These challenges point to the evolutionary directions for the next decade. In terms of technological breakthroughs, neuro−symbolic fusion architectures are emerging; deepening application scenarios carry greater humanistic significance; the construction of embodied intelligence ecosystems is accelerating; governance mechanisms are evolving with promise; and the ultimate significance of robot selfhood lies in expanding the boundaries of intelligence. "Selfhood" is not only a technical breakthrough in robotics but also has profound implications for the future development relationship between robots and humans.