隨著電腦科技的快速發展，編圖作業亦將由傳統的人工方式朝向自動化方式處理，這也是現代化製圖必然趨勢，而目前計算機輔助製圖所面臨的最大挑戰，就是自動化地圖簡化，這也是阻礙製圖自動化發展的關鍵技術。目前的情形，要實現自動化地圖簡化，困難的原因是傳統地圖簡化作業，因受制於缺乏特徵物本身的規律性，所以此項工作必須經由有經驗、有能力的專業製圖員方可完成。為配合製圖自動化，對於地圖中所表示的地物、現象或製圖過程都必須應用數學方法找出其規律性，換言之，就是要建立其選取指標。基此，本研究擬以臺灣地區系列地形圖之水系為研究對象，分別就尺度相關與空間差異兩方面探討地圖水系網簡化。並經由迴歸分析與群落分析之綜合歸納，擬定出適合於臺灣系列地形圖水系簡化的選取指標，俾利我國自動他編圖作業之應用參考。

With the speed development of computer technique, the compilation operation will be done toward automation from traditional man-made method that is a natural trend for modernizing map compilation too. And the most challenge for CAD is automatic map generalization presently that also is a key know-how which retards the development of Automated Cartography. Under present condition, the difficult reason for realizing the automatic map generalization is that the traditional map generalization operation is restricted by the insufficient regularity of the features, so such a task must be completed by the experienced and capable, professional cartographer. In order to match the Automated Cartography, the regularity for objects and phases expressed on the map, or the cartographic process should be found by applied mathematics, in other word, it should establish the selective characteristic. To this point of view, this research intends to take the rivers of series topographic map in Taiwan area as the research object, and to discover the map generalization for river network from two aspects: scale dependent analysis and spatial variation analysis. And through induction of regression analysis and cluster analysis, intends to make the selective index which is suitable for the river generalization of series topographic map on Taiwan, so as to the application and reference for automatic compilation operation in Taiwan.