Regulation and safety slow down robotics projects in Germany

More than half of respondents in Germany state that their robotics architecture is hybrid (65 percent), consisting of a safety PLC, vision computer, main computer and microcontrollers. At the same time, further technological advances need to be integrated into these environments. One of the most central is Physical AI, which is becoming increasingly prevalent: 89 percent of developers see AI-supported systems that are able to perceive their environment, make decisions and act autonomously as crucial to their future strategies.

Despite these high expectations, implementation in practice is not yet fully assured. Although many developers are generally confident about the further development of such systems, the ultimate implementation of making consistently safe and predictable decisions under real-life conditions remains a key challenge. Particularly in dynamic environments with direct human-machine interaction, the requirements for deterministic behavior and reliable system reactions increase significantly - not least to prevent injuries caused by the machines. This further intensifies the demands on the underlying software architecture, which has not necessarily been designed for this complexity to date.

At the same time, technical complexity continues to grow: integration effort and long development cycles are among the biggest challenges for 41% of respondents. In addition, 79% state that time and budget pressure can lead to unwanted compromises being made in security-critical aspects. The organizational picture is also mixed: While some companies have established clear security standards, their implementation varies in many cases depending on the project or department. This leads to additional coordination efforts and an increasing dependency on specialized experts, which further complicates the consistent implementation of security and compliance requirements.

Security and regulatory pressure is increasing noticeably

The more robotic systems are used in real, dynamic environments, the higher the requirements for functional safety, cybersecurity and reliable system architectures become. At the same time, 92 percent of developers now consider deterministic real-time behavior to be a basic requirement for the safe operation of their systems. In particular, cybersecurity requirements, functional safety standards and new regulatory frameworks for AI represent key challenges for development teams.

However, before these systems can be used productively, extensive certification processes for software, machines and people must be completed - which, according to 70% of respondents in Germany, leads to considerable project delays. Regulatory requirements are therefore one of the biggest challenges in the development process. At the same time, these requirements are being met by increasingly complex systems that need to be both efficient and compliant.

Software as a limiting factor for progress

The results of the study make it clear that the bottleneck in robotics development has shifted. What was primarily a question of hardware for a long time is now increasingly determined by software architecture and integration.

Despite increasing demands on security and reliability, 89% of developers continue to rely at least partially on general operating systems - even for real-time capable or security-critical applications. At the same time, the overall high willingness to switch shows that dissatisfaction appears to be growing.

This is fundamentally changing the focus in robotics, as Jim Hirsch, Global VP of General Embedded Markets at QNX, explains: "It's no longer just about new functions or higher computing power, but about the question of how complex systems can be operated safely, reliably and in compliance with regulations. A suitable software basis that addresses this problem from the outset is therefore crucial in order to make the complex certification processes manageable."

International differences in regulation and project pressure

An international comparison shows that although the structural challenges in robotics are similar, they vary in intensity. Worldwide, the focus is increasingly shifting to software-related fundamentals, as robotic systems are increasingly being used outside of controlled environments. In Germany, 85% of developers state that their systems are already being used in close proximity to humans or are planning to do so in the coming years - slightly above the global average of 83%.

At the same time, there is a tension between increasing requirements and existing technological approaches: While deterministic behavior and predictable system reactions are considered indispensable, many robotics platforms are still based on software architectures that were not originally developed for highly autonomous or safety-critical application scenarios. This highlights a growing gap between the requirements of modern robotic systems and the underlying software foundations. A discrepancy that shows that the central challenge lies less in individual markets than in the fundamental adaptation of the software basis to new application scenarios.

No scalable robotics without a secure software basis

The results confirm that robotics is at a turning point. Progress is increasingly no longer limited by hardware, but by the ability to operate complex software architectures safely, reliably and in compliance with regulations - for both existing and future specifications. At the same time, the pressure is increasing due to cost-efficient use in real environments.

For companies, this means that choosing the right software basis is now a strategic decision. Those who integrate safety requirements, real-time capability and certifiability into the system architecture at an early stage can reduce development risks, better overcome regulatory hurdles and create the basis for scalable robotic systems.

Survey methodology

The online survey of 1000 professional robotics software developers and engineers from selected industries was commissioned by QNX and conducted by market research company OnePoll in accordance with the Market Research Society's Code of Conduct. The data was collected between February 25, 2026 and March 4, 2026.