NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The market for software-defined automation (SDA) and virtualization of control is experiencing significant growth, driven by the need for industry to modernize and upgrade their automation systems. The push for operational efficiency, coupled with workforce and skills shortages, means maintaining legacy systems is no longer sustainable. Global technology intelligence firm ABI Research forecasts that the virtual/soft controller market will grow to US$4.5 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.2%.
"The industrial automation market is on the cusp of a software-defined evolution, with strong adoption expected over the next decade," said James Prestwood, Senior Analyst. "Enterprise-grade manufacturers are already starting to deploy this technology and develop robust use cases, and vendors are highly active in encouraging customers to adopt these new technologies. SDA-based systems oriented around virtual or soft controllers will be highly popular with greenfield plants, and brownfield adoption will increase as legacy hardware reaches end of life."
The virtual/soft controller market includes a range of vendors, with major drivers of the SDA transition such as Bosch Rexroth, CODESYS, Phoenix Contact, Schneider Electric, Siemens, and SUPCON.
"Overall, the industrial automation market is at the precipice of a major evolution, transforming traditional, closed OT-based operations into flexible, adaptable, and IT-styled ones," Prestwood concluded. "Virtual and soft controllers play a foundational role in driving the flexibility of this SDA transition and can therefore expect solid growth over the next decade."
These findings are from ABI Research's Industrial Automation: Software-Defined Automation (SDA) market data report, part of the company's Industrial & Manufacturing Technologies research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights.
About ABI Research
ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology solution providers and end-market companies. We serve as the bridge that seamlessly connects these two segments by providing exclusive research and expert guidance to drive successful technology implementations and deliver strategies proven to attract and retain customers.
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