Rust for industrial automation

Benefits and key challenges

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17560/atp.v67i9.2800

Keywords:

Rust, Funktionale Sicherheit, Speichersicherheit

Abstract

Ensuring the security and reliability of complex software systems is a challenging task. C and C++ dominate embedded industrial systems but lack memory safety, leading to defects and vulnerabilities. Rust, with its memory safety, high performance, and modern tooling, is a promising alternative. This article evaluates its suitability for industrial automation, focusing on interoperability with existing code and compatibility with functional safety standards. We highlight benefits and identify key challenges around interoperability with C++ and gaps in the current Rust for safety ecosystem.

Author Biographies

Nicolas Coppik, ABB Corporate Research Center Germany

Dr. Nicolas Coppik is a research scientist in the ”Secure Connected Systems” research group at ABB Corporate Research Center Germany. His research interests include security and robustness of industrial embedded software systems. He holds a PhD in computer science from TU Darmstadt.

Tobias Dörr, ABB Corporate Research Center Germany

Dr. Tobias Dörr is a research scientist at the ABB Corporate Research Center Germany. His research interests include the development of safe and secure software systems, particularly in the context of industrial automation solutions. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Steffen Lindner, ABB Corporate Research Center Germany

Dr. Steffen Lindner (born 1996) holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Tübingen, where his research focused on programmable data planes using P4, Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and congestion management. Since 2024, he is a research scientist at the ABB Corporate Research Center Germany.

atp magazin 9/2025

Published

2025-09-18

Issue

Vol. 67 No. 9 (2025): atp magazin

Section

Article / Peer Review

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Vulkan-Verlag GmbH

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