Editor Commentary: Inflection point for interoperability

The commentary argues that industrial automation is reaching an inflection point as it shifts from proprietary control systems to vendor-neutral architectures built on open standards. This move aims to enable true interoperability across hardware and software, promising easier integration, flexibility, and reduced vendor lock-in—so long as stakeholders coalesce around common standards and governance.

What do you see as the biggest accelerator (or barrier) to interoperable, vendor-neutral control systems in your operation—standards maturity, legacy integration, cybersecurity, user demand, or vendor business models?