Rust for industrial automation

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.