  In this paper we combine the algebraic properties of Mealy machines
generating self-similar groups and the combinatorial properties of the
corresponding deterministic finite automata (DFA). In particular, we relate
bounded automata to finitely generated synchronizing automata and characterize
finite automata groups in terms of nilpotency of the corresponding DFA.
Moreover, we present a decidable sufficient condition to have free semigroups
in an automaton group. A series of examples and applications is widely
discussed, in particular we show a way to color the De Bruijn automata into
Mealy automata whose associated semigroups are free, and we present some
structural results related to the associated groups.
