Virtual PLCs: Can they become the industry norm by 2030?

Industrial automation has long depended on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to manage the complex logic that keeps factories, assembly lines, and machinery operating reliably. Since their introduction in the 1960s, traditional PLCs have remained a cornerstone of manufacturing systems, combining tightly coupled hardware and software components to execute control tasks in real time.

However, a new approach is emerging that could redefine how automation systems are built: Virtual PLCs (vPLCs). Unlike classic PLCs that run on dedicated physical devices scattered across the factory floor, vPLCs separate control logic from hardware and run this logic as software in virtualized environments such as cloud platforms, centralized servers, or edge computing nodes. This shift enables control software to operate independently of the physical controller, promising improved flexibility, reduced reliance on proprietary hardware, and simplified system management.

One of the most prominent examples of this trend is found in the automotive industry. Audi has begun migrating from numerous decentralized PLCs to centralized, server-based virtual PLCs as part of its Edge Cloud 4 Production initiative. Under this project, factory control logic is consolidated in data centers far from the shop floor, offering a glimpse into how industrial control could evolve.

Despite the clear potential, virtual PLCs are still in an early stage of maturity. Current vPLC technologies are generally limited in several key areas that historically have defined PLC usefulness: supporting high-speed control tasks (under 1 millisecond execution times), meeting rigorous functional safety certifications, enabling seamless portability of control logic between platforms, and providing robust redundancy features. These limitations mean that vPLCs can handle basic operations today, but are not yet ready to fully replace traditional PLCs across all industrial applications.

The market for virtual and soft PLCs—a related software-centric class—is nascent but growing. Research suggests that vPLCs may capture a meaningful share of new PLC deployments by 2030, though they are unlikely to become the dominant industry standard within the decade. Continued development of technologies from multiple vendors, including industrial automation leaders, is crucial to improve performance, reliability, and adoption.

This evolution reflects broader trends in industrial IT/OT convergence, where manufacturing plants increasingly adopt software-defined solutions inspired by modern computing architectures. While traditional PLC vendors face challenges adapting to these changes, the emergence of virtual PLCs represents an important step toward more flexible, scalable, and software-driven automation systems.

Credit: Based on “Virtual PLCs: Can they become the industry norm by 2030?” by IoT Analytics