The great promise of new connected concepts of industry like 'Industry 4.0' is their ability to deliver a historically unparalleled level of responsiveness and flexibility. While modern supply chains are already heavily integrated and designed to be fluid and fast moving, a large swathe of manufacturing still remains beholden to economies of scale, large production runs, and careful preplanning.The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is set to change this by allowing small-batch or even custom manufacturing on a truly industrial scale. With machines whose functions are not set in stone, but flexible and determined by their operating software and with a new form of connectivity bringing industrial engineers, product manufacturers, and end users closer together than ever before. Ad-hoc adjustments to automotive parts, for example, during active product runs or the bespoke manufacturing of custom sneakers become very viable options indeed.Much of this remains a theoretical vision, but IUNO, the German national reference project for IT security in Industry 4.0 demonstrates the new capabilities in action with a secure technology data marketplace running a smart drinks mixer.

As a trailblazer for the future of mobility and a leading innovator behind ingenious technologies for electric car charging, safety and security concepts, Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles, and the AUTOSAR Adaptive Platform, Vector’s business depends on selling many thousands of licenses every year. Protecting its technology from piracy is a challenge that Vector faces head-on with their Vector Network Interfaces (VNIs) and licenses associated with a combination of Wibu-Systems hardware and software containers. Integrating this system into the production landscape and streamlining its delivery called for a leaner and standardized solution, built right into the company’s sales processes.