Auton

The Autons are metamorphic android robots, artificial life forms that are essentially life sized plastic dummies, animated by the Nestene Consciousness. Though they are not the only creations of the Nestene, they are the most common and the most easily identifiable. The name comes from "Auto Plastics", the company that was infiltrated by the Nestenes and subsequently manufactured their Auton shells. (DW: Spearhead from Space)

Autons conceal deadly weapons within their hands, which can kill or vaporize their targets using psychic projections. (PDA: Synthespians™)

The typical Auton does not look particularly realistic, resembling a mannequin, being robotic in its movements and mute, although an Auton leader could speak in a robotic voice. (DW: Terror of the Autons) Despite their solid appearance, Autons can change the shape of their features and limbs. (DW: Rose) More sophisticated Autons can be created, which look and act human except for a slight sheen to the skin and a flat sounding voice. Autons can also copy specific individuals, though these copies are imperfect. When duplicated, the originals are kept alive to maintain the copy. Notable copies included Channing, who maintained the Nestenes' affair during their first attempted invasion of Earth. (DW: Spearhead from Space) Mickey Smith was also copied by the Nestene to act as an information gather on the affairs of the Doctor. (DW: Rose)

Autons are excellent trackers, as they can follow other creatures by their brain-wave patterns. (PDA: Synthespians™)

Weapons and 2005 invasion
In 2005 the Nestenes came to Earth after all their protein planets were destroyed in the last great time war. They saw Earth as a powerful resource because of its huge amounts of carbon dioxide and fossil fuels rproduced every day. As part of their invasion the Nestenes placed autons shaped like shop window dummies in strategic points around London. The Nestene Conciousness made its base beneath the London eye which it planned to use as a huge transmitter for the sole purpose of bringing every peice of plastic ( including the soldiers already in place) to life. The Nestenes learned of the Doctors presence and attempted to assasinate him several times by using a copy of his companions boyfriend Mickey Smith. The plan temporarily succeeded and all the shop window autons activated and attacked the whole of London. They fought with blasters conceled in a secret compartment in their hands which unhinge to reveal the weapon. Being made of plastic these autons could not be harmed by bullets. However the ninth Doctor and his companion Rose managed to kill the Nestene Conciousness with a phial of anti-plastic which shut down all the autons.