Before appropriate mathematical tools of analysis had been developed, SAC was considered to be just a modest version of the standard model reference adaptive control (MRAC). Further developments showed that SAC techniques can readily be applied to such applications as robots, airplanes, missiles, satellites, fine motion control, etc. Various drawbacks related to classical MRAC have been addressed and eliminated and conditions needed for robust stability have been significantly mitigated. Recent developments in nonlinear systems stability analysis tools lead to clear proofs of SAC stability in realistic
environments.