Engineering HMI solutions for evolving safety and compliance requirements
Date: 21/09/2026
As machines become more automated, configurable and connected, Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) are increasingly part of systems where functional safety and cybersecurity must be considered from the design stage onwards.
For OEMs and system integrators, this means working with HMI suppliers that can provide more than robust components. They also need access to reliability data, technical evidence, documented engineering processes and long-term support.
At APEM, these requirements are being integrated into the way we design products and support customer projects. In two videos, Emmanuel Maubert, APEM Technical Director, explains our approach to Functional Safety and Cybersecurity and what it means for customers.
What does Functional Safety mean for your HMI projects?
In this video, APEM Technical Director Emmanuel Maubert explains the key principles behind Functional Safety for HMI applications and the role APEM, as an HMI supplier, can play in supporting OEMs and system integrators.
You will learn how safety requirements are defined at system level, why application context matters, and what type of reliability data and engineering inputs are needed to support validation.
The video also explains how APEM contributes with technical evidence, reliability data and dedicated testing capabilities to help customers integrate HMI products into safety-related systems with greater confidence.
For more information, see our Functional Safety in HMI Systems resource and our explanations of MTTFd in ISO 13849-1 and B10d.
How is APEM addressing cybersecurity for connected HMIs?
In this video, APEM Technical Director Emmanuel Maubert explains the cybersecurity challenges linked to increasingly connected HMI solutions and how regulatory expectations are changing product development.
You will learn what the Cyber Resilience Act means for manufacturers, why cybersecurity must be managed throughout the product lifecycle, and how requirements such as secure design, vulnerability management and incident response are becoming part of the engineering process.
The video also presents how APEM is preparing for these requirements through structured development processes, new hardware and software platforms, and lifecycle support for connected products.
Expert insight
“For our customers, compliance is not only about meeting a standard at a specific point in time. It means having the right technical data, documented engineering processes and long-term support to integrate HMI solutions with confidence. Our role at APEM is to anticipate these requirements and give OEMs and system integrators the evidence and support they need throughout their projects.”
Emmanuel Maubert Technical Director, APEM
What can OEMs and system integrators expect from APEM?
Customers increasingly need their HMI supplier to contribute technical evidence that can be integrated into a wider safety or cybersecurity assessment.
APEM's approach is therefore based on four areas:
Reliability data and technical evidence for Functional Safety calculations
Engineering support based on the actual application and mission profile
Structured cybersecurity development processes for connected products
Lifecycle support covering vulnerabilities, corrective actions and software updates where applicable
This allows APEM to support customers at component and subsystem level while keeping the responsibilities clear: the OEM or system integrator remains responsible for the safety and security assessment of the complete machine or system.
Can an HMI component be PL d or SIL 2 on its own?
Not in isolation. Functional Safety is assessed at safety-function and system or subsystem level. A component's reliability data can contribute to achieving a required Performance Level or SIL, but the final result also depends on factors such as architecture, diagnostics and the application context.
What Functional Safety data can APEM provide?
Depending on the product and application, APEM can provide or support the calculation of information such as B10d and MTTFd, alongside other technical evidence relevant to the customer's safety analysis. A mission profile may be required to calculate application-specific reliability values.
How is APEM preparing for the Cyber Resilience Act?
APEM is implementing a structured cybersecurity development approach covering areas such as threat analysis, secure design, verification, documentation, vulnerability handling, incident response and security updates.
Does cybersecurity also affect machinery safety?
It can. If software, connectivity or unauthorized manipulation can affect how a machine behaves, cybersecurity risks can also have consequences for machine safety. Functional Safety and cybersecurity therefore need to be considered together when relevant to the application.
Can APEM support customers throughout the product lifecycle?
Yes. APEM's approach covers not only design and product development but also technical documentation, vulnerability management and lifecycle support. For connected products, this includes controlled mechanisms for corrections, security patches and software upgrades according to the product and agreed support conditions.
Vulnerability and cybersecurity incident reporting form
If you identify a potential vulnerability in an APEM product, or experience a cybersecurity incident involving one of our products, please report it through this form.
Your report will be handled through APEM’s Product Security Incident Response process (PSIRT). The information provided will help us assess the vulnerability or incident, determine its potential impact, coordinate corrective or mitigating actions, and communicate with affected parties when required.
This reporting process also supports APEM’s vulnerability-handling and incident-management obligations under the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), including the assessment and documentation of reported security issues and, where applicable, regulatory notification requirements.
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