Yokogawa Survey Finds Two-Thirds of Process Industry Companies Are Anticipating Fully Autonomous Operations by 2030
16.9.2020 10:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) today revealed the results of a global end-user survey on the outlook for industrial autonomy*, which shows that 64% of respondents from companies in process industries are anticipating fully autonomous operations by 2030. The survey provides an in-depth view of future trends in automation and autonomy, business priorities, and technologies being deployed in key process industries including oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, petrochemicals, and power generation.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200916005058/en/
Technology investment over next 3 years (Graphic: Yokogawa Electric Corporation)
Key Insights
Companies are moving to fully autonomous operations by 2030, and will invest in technologies that aid decision-making
Sixty-four percent of respondents stated that they expect to reach autonomous operations in their primary operations by 2030. Eighty-nine percent said their companies currently have plans to increase the level of autonomy in their operations. Regarding their current status, 64% said that they are conducting or are piloting semi-autonomous or autonomous operations, while 67% expect significant automation of most decision-making processes in plant operations by 2023.
Cyber security (51%), cloud, analytics, and big data (47%), and artificial intelligence (42%) are three key areas in which companies are planning significant investment over the next three years. These will enable organizations to make better decisions across a greater span of control.
COVID-19 has put the brakes on economic growth in 2020 but will be a catalyst for the medium- to long-term growth of industrial autonomy.
COVID-19 has arguably presented a great impetus for industrial autonomy moving forward. A higher priority is now being placed on the ability to continue running operations without workers needing to be present. A majority of respondents are expecting to increase their investment in autonomous operations as a direct result of COVID-19.
Respondents were also asked to rank the top four applications in which they were directing investment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unsurprisingly, remote operations and remote servicing came out as two of the key applications for which priorities have increased, with a respective 36% and 30% of participants selecting them. The ability to conduct work without the need for workers to be present in a hazardous environment provides significant safety and cost benefits.
The survey also uncovered significant differences across industries in post-COVID-19 investment priorities. For example, compared with other industries, conventional power generation and chemical/petrochemical participants placed a greater focus on investments in worker safety.
Regional trends
The survey revealed regional differences in investment in new technologies and the push to industrial autonomy. Relative to other regions, Asia-Pacific is the most engaged in the shift to industrial autonomy. The survey found that the proportion of companies in Asia-Pacific that are prioritizing investment in autonomous systems for operations is 18% to 27% higher than other regions. This is a key statistic and shows that funding is being directed into autonomous operations in the region. Seventy-one percent of respondents in Asia-Pacific felt that they would attain fully autonomous operations in ten years' time, compared with just 58% in North America and 56% in Western Europe.
“From this research study, we have confirmed our perception that the shift from industrial automation to industrial autonomy, which we call IA2IA, is going to gain momentum over the next decade. As COVID-19 will accelerate this trend, and companies' interest in introducing related technologies continues to be strong, Yokogawa can support customers in strengthening their competitiveness step by step based upon our roadmap to autonomous operations,” said Tsuyoshi Abe, senior vice president and head of the Marketing Headquarters at Yokogawa.
Yokogawa believes the digital transformation of companies’ manufacturing and production operations will lead towards autonomous operations; the results of the survey demonstrate that companies are prioritizing and investing in the technologies of tomorrow in order to make this a reality.
The survey highlight report can be downloaded from the following website.
https://www.yokogawa.com/special/ia2ia/outlook/
* The “Global End-user Survey on the Outlook for Industrial Autonomy” was conducted on behalf of Yokogawa by research company Omdia among 504 decision-makers in process industry companies between June and July 2020.
About Yokogawa
Founded in 1915, Yokogawa engages in broad-ranging activities in the areas of measurement, control, and information. The industrial automation business provides vital products, services, and solutions to a diverse range of process industries including oil, chemicals, natural gas, power, iron and steel, and pulp and paper. With the life innovation business, the company aims to radically improve productivity across the pharmaceutical and food industry value chains. The test & measurement, aviation, and other businesses continue to provide essential instruments and equipment with industry-leading precision and reliability. Yokogawa co-innovates with its customers through a global network of 114 companies spanning 62 countries, generating US$3.7 billion in sales in FY2019. For more information, please visit www.yokogawa.com.
The names of corporations, organizations, products, services and logos herein are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Yokogawa Electric Corporation or their respective holders.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200916005058/en/
Contact information
Public Relations
Integrated Communications Center
Yokogawa Electric Corporation
Yokogawa-pr@cs.jp.yokogawa.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Navan Unveils New Ways to Book, Expense, and Travel at Navigate Europe 202615.10.2026 17:30:00 EEST | Press release
Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN), the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform, unveiled a new set of capabilities and product updates at Navigate Europe, its flagship customer conference. The updates bring Navan into more workplace tools, expand card issuing to new currencies, and simplify guest reimbursement, all while giving businesses greater visibility and control. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261015250476/en/ “Business never stands still. Our customers are constantly expanding and expecting more value, which is why we continue to innovate and elevate every part of the employee experience,” said Michael Riegel, Chief Customer Officer at Navan. “We’ve spent years building the global technology infrastructure and expertise to make travel and expense work better. These new capabilities will support more users in more ways than ever before, all from one connected platform that moves as fast as they do.”
FlightSafety International to Deliver New Embraer E190-E2 Full-Flight Simulator to Azul Brazilian Airlines15.10.2026 17:05:00 EEST | Press release
FlightSafety International Inc. (FSI), the global leader in aviation training and simulation technology, today announced an agreement with Azul Brazilian Airlines to design and manufacture a new Embraer E190-300 (E190-E2) Level D Full-Flight Simulator. Anticipated for delivery in late 2027, the simulator will expand Azul’s pilot training capabilities at its training center in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. “Our partnership with Azul reflects a shared commitment to advancing aviation training and safety,” said Michele Posey, Executive Vice President, Sales, FlightSafety International. “This new simulator will provide Azul pilots with a highly realistic training environment that supports the development of critical skills and prepares them for the demands of commercial flight operations.” “This new simulator represents another important investment in Azul’s operational excellence and long-term growth strategy. Expanding our training capabilities ensures that we continue to prepare our pilo
Andersen Global Deepens Private Client Tax Capabilities with KTA Tax15.10.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Andersen Global broadens its private client tax capabilities through a Collaboration Agreement with KTA Tax, a Dublin-based tax practice that has advised individuals and families for nearly three decades. KTA Tax has advised private clients and their families since 1997, combining the personal approach of a boutique practice with deep technical knowledge of Irish taxation. Its services span transaction and tax planning, estate planning, investments and pensions, cross-border matters, Revenue interventions, employment tax, and annual personal tax compliance. “We have remained focused on one thing: providing clear, thoughtful tax advice that reflects the individual circumstances of our clients and their families,” said Lisa Cantillon, CEO of KTA Tax. “Collaborating with Andersen Global is an important step for KTA Tax, giving us an opportunity to build on that foundation while extending the resources available to the clients we serve.” “Private client work demands an understanding of mor
Sysco Awards Partner of the Year Award to Grid Dynamics15.10.2026 16:15:00 EEST | Press release
Grid Dynamics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: GDYN) (“Grid Dynamics”) today announced that Sysco, the global foodservice distribution leader, has named the company its Partner of the Year. The recognition honors Grid Dynamics’ approach and expertise in bringing AI into Sysco’s technology and business operations. Sysco is the global leader in foodservice distribution, generating $84.6 billion in sales for its fiscal year ended June 27, 2026, and serving approximately 670,000 customer locations across 10 countries. The partnership began in 2024 with Grid Dynamics teams working alongside Sysco across product search and discovery, digital commerce, and AI-first software development. Grid Dynamics delivered a range of projects that made everyday work easier for Sysco's associates, enhanced the customer experience, and generated measurable business value. “What makes this partnership work is how closely our teams operate together,” said Ragnarok Rocha, Vice President, Digital Commerce and Customer S
The Outcome Economy at Work – New Research From Vertage15.10.2026 16:01:00 EEST | Press release
Three in four enterprises (74%) define significant work around outcomes, but only 15% are ready to deliver it consistently, according to new global research from HR tech leader Vertage. These ‘outcome-ready’ enterprises report higher customer satisfaction (91% vs. 67%), stronger delivery of strategic goals (86% vs. 65%) and faster conversion of opportunities into value (85% vs. 64%). They also have a cultural edge: 69% of their employees understand their contribution and can adapt how they work, compared with 34% elsewhere. "AI adoption no longer separates strong businesses from the rest. Outcome readiness does," said Edzard Overbeek, Group CEO of Vertage. "The strongest businesses organize people, partners and AI around a clear result, and they keep human judgment at the center." The study, The Outcome Economy at Work, draws on 800 enterprise decision-makers and 1,200 workers across six markets, plus in-depth interviews with senior leaders. Its central finding is clear: outcome-based
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom