Autonomy, functional safety, safety-related software, and cybersecurity are key to the future of mobile machinery at FinnMETKO 2026. Interview with Ville Kivelä, Sales Manager / Exertus Nordics.

One week to go, on 3rd of September, the mobile machinery industry will gather in Jämsä for FinnMETKO 2026. Exertus will join PMC Hydraulics at stand Puistometsä 615, bringing together expertise in intelligent machine control, software, automation and functional safety. Ahead of the event, we sat down with Exertus Nordics Sales Manager Ville Kivelä to discuss the current market, the practical path towards autonomous machinery, and why safety must be designed into every intelligent function from the very beginning.

Ville, how would you describe the mobile machinery market right now?

“The market is selective, but it is certainly not standing still. The recovery is uneven, customers are assessing investments carefully, and every development project needs a clear business case. At the same time, the pressure to improve productivity, energy efficiency, usability and safety continues to grow. 

The conversation is moving from individual components towards complete capabilities. Manufacturers want control systems that shorten development time, support several machine generations and enable new functions throughout the product lifecycle. That creates demand for scalable platforms, open integration and partners who understand both the technology and the machine itself.”

 What makes FinnMETKO 2026 such an important meeting place for Exertus?

“Usually FinnMETKO brings the entire mobile machinery ecosystem together in a real operating environment. You see machines at work, hear directly from operators and meet engineering experts and business decision-makers in the same place. That makes the discussions exceptionally practical.

For us, it is also a place to listen. What challenges are manufacturers facing? Where could automation remove repetitive work, improve precision or reduce risk? Our presence with PMC Hydraulics is especially relevant because modern machine performance is created through the interaction of hydraulics, electronics and software. Visitors can discuss the machine as one complete system.”

 What are OEM asking for today?

“They need systems that can evolve. A mobile machine may remain in active use for many years, while software, connectivity, regulation and customer expectations continue to change. The architecture must be robust enough for today and flexible enough for what comes next.

Customers want faster development cycles, predictable execution and technology that preserves future choices. Some need a capable platform for their own engineers; others want a partner to take responsibility for system design, application development, testing and lifecycle support. Exertus supports both models – through close co-creation or as a turnkey development partner.”

How autonomous operations are penetrating through industry?

“Autonomy should not be seen as a single leap from a manually operated machine to a machine without an operator. It is a development path. Operator assistance, automated work cycles, remote operation, supervised autonomy and autonomous functions in defined environments can all create significant value long before full autonomy is reached.

The strongest use cases are practical. An automated function can improve repeatability, reduce operator workload, increase safety in a hazardous area or help address the shortage of skilled operators. The right level always depends on the machine, its task and its operating environment.”

 What capabilities does Exertus bring to autonomous machine development?

“Autonomous functions need a reliable control foundation. The machine must be able to process information, communicate with sensors and other systems, make decisions at the edge and translate those decisions into safe, precise action. Just as importantly, the functions must be tested and validated systematically.

Exertus combines rugged control hardware with system design, application software, connectivity and virtual testing. Our approach supports specialist technologies and efficient cooperation with the customer’s own team and other partners. The USVA autonomous surface vessel pilot is a recent example: the Exertus MIC platform was selected for onboard computing while Atostek develops the autonomy software. It demonstrates that autonomy is an ecosystem effort. Our role is to provide a reliable, adaptable foundation and the integration expertise that moves the complete solution forward.

Exertus also has the most flexible environment in industry to implement your autonomy functions. Thanks to the C-code and text based serialization format approach on our Guitu 5 that closely follows IEC 61131, but offers custom flexibility. Exertus and our customers are able to include modern development tools and AI assistance to speed up the time to market even more then before.”

 As machines gain more intelligence and responsibility, what happens to safety?

“Safety and autonomy are inseparable. The more decisions a machine makes, the more disciplined we must be in defining requirements, identifying risks, managing failure behaviour and validating the complete system. Safety cannot be added at the end of a project – it has to be part of the architecture from the start.

Exertus supports customers across the functional safety lifecycle, from risk analysis and system concepts to implementation, documentation and validation. Our offering includes controller solutions built on SIL 2 / PL d functional safety architecture and the Exertus Functional Safety Tool for structured risk analysis, traceability and reporting.

This becomes even more important as the new EU Machinery Regulation becomes mandatory on 20 January 2027. Functional safety and cybersecurity must be considered as integrated parts of the machine. Manufacturers that begin early will be better positioned than those treating compliance as a final checkpoint.”

 What differentiates Exertus as a development partner?

“Our advantage is the combination of deep mobile machinery expertise and the ability to deliver the technology behind the complete control system. We understand how software, electronics, hydraulics and machine mechanics come together at system level. Just as importantly, we are comfortable taking that expertise into the field – working alongside the machine, the operator and the customer where real operating conditions reveal what truly works.

We can start with an idea or a difficult machine-level challenge and help turn it into a production-ready solution. Modular hardware architecture, open software technologies and system design services enable purpose-built solutions without starting every project from zero. That creates speed and flexibility without sacrificing reliability or lifecycle support.”

Looking three to five years ahead, what will define the most competitive machines?

“The most competitive machines will be software-defined, connected and capable of improving throughout their lifecycle. Intelligence will move closer to the machine, while data, remote services and virtual development become normal parts of product creation and operation.

Automation will become more focused and practical. Manufacturers will introduce functions that solve specific operational problems and deliver measurable value. Functional safety, cybersecurity and software lifecycle management will also become more closely connected. Manufacturers that build a flexible control architecture now will adopt new technologies faster later. Exertus helps turn those possibilities into reliable machine functions that work in the real world.”

What would you like visitors to bring to the Exertus team at FinnMETKO?

 “Bring us your toughest development challenge. It can be an autonomy roadmap, a safety-critical function, a control system renewal or simply an idea for making a machine more cost-effective to build, easier to operate or more productive in the field. The best conversations often begin with a problem that does not yet have an obvious answer.

FinnMETKO is a chance to meet our experts and explore what becomes possible when machine knowledge, intelligent control and close collaboration come together. Come and find the Heart of the Machine.”

Meet Exertus Sales Team at FinnMETKO 2026, 3–5 September, 9:00–17:00. PMC Hydraulics Strand, Puistometsä 615, Jämsä.