The Equivalence Problem of Multitape Finite Automata

Using a result of B.H. Neumann we extend Eilenberg’s Equality Theorem to a general result which implies that the multiplicity equivalence problem of two (nondeterministic) multitape finite automata is decidable. As a corollary we solve a long standing open problem in automata theory, namely, the equivalence problem for multitape deterministic finite automata. The main theorem states that there is a finite test set for the multiplicity equivalence of finite automata over conservative monoids embeddable in a fully ordered group.