New research tests the theory that the force of the fastest market crash on record seven months ago was driven by the rise of automated selling from computer-driven fund managers.

The violent sell-off that started from late February was the sharpest in history, with 2616.5 points, or 36.5 per cent wiped from the benchmark ASX 200 Index in just 22 sessions, and 9.7 per cent in one day on March 16.