AUTOMATIC ANALYSIS DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR SAME

Provided is an automatic analyzer that is capable of determining a horizontal displacement of a probe by a capacitance type liquid level detection function. The automatic analyzer includes a dispensing mechanism, a capacitance measurement unit, and a control unit. The control unit includes: a liquid level detection unit configured to detect a liquid level of the liquid based on the capacitance measured by the capacitance measurement unit; a peak value calculation unit configured to calculate respective peak values of capacitances caused by a first member and a second member when the dispensing mechanism is driven in the horizontal direction, the first member and the second member being located on one side and the other side of a movement trajectory of the probe and provided at a predetermined interval in a movement direction of the probe; and a position determination unit configured to determine a horizontal position of the probe by comparing a first peak value caused by the first member and a second peak value caused by the second member.