An automatic omni-directional bar code symbol reading system for use in a POS environment. The system comprises a system housing having an light transmission window. A plurality of linear-type bar code symbol reading stations are disposed in the system housing, for generating and projecting a complex of linear illumination planes through the light transmission window and into a 3D volume definable relative to the system housing. At least one area-type bar code reading station is disposed in the system housing, for generating and projecting an area illumination beam through the light transmission window and into the 3D volume. The complex of linear illumination planes and the area illumination beam enable omni-directional reading of bar code symbols on an object passing through the 3D volume, and the generation symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol. An object detection subsystem automatically detects the object passing through the 3D volume, and generates data representative of the detected object within the 3D volume. A control subsystem controls operations within the linear-type and area-type bar code symbol reading stations using control data derived from the data generated by the object detection subsystem.