Access Control Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Technological advancements in biometric systems: The use of biometric systems in combination with artificial intelligence and machine learning is rapidly changing the access control industry. In September 2024, Suprema launched the Bio-Station 3, which is a contactless facial recognition terminal for post Covid-19 security. These innovations enhance usability, minimize contact, and provide better precision. Biometrics is mostly used in healthcare, commercial, and industrial applications where security and fast access are vital, which makes biometrics one of the essential elements of the current access control systems.
• Rising urbanization and smart city projects: Increased population density and expanding urban areas are demanding better security systems in homes and other buildings. Most governments across the globe are funding smart city initiatives where access control systems are critical to security and regulation. For instance, in March 2024, HammerTech launched its access control services in the UK and Ireland focusing on the construction industry as the sector increased the focus on site security. This is because digital infrastructure is in line with the current development of cities, thus boosting access control market growth.
• Increased adoption of cloud-based solutions: Cloud based access control systems are becoming the most used due to their ability to scale up, their affordability, and the ease of management. The access control market participants are moving towards cloud integration to have better multi-site management and avoid complexity in the infrastructure. These solutions find their application in organizations that need the flexibility of managing their workforce while at the same time having the option for centralized control; this makes them popular across industries. Cloud adoption is also in line with the trends in remote workforce management and the increase of operations across multiple locations.

Challenges

• Cybersecurity concerns: With the advancement of cloud and IoT integration, access control systems are at a higher risk of being attacked. One of the major challenges is the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access, especially in industries that deal with sensitive information. Since the systems should be protected to safeguard the data and gain consumers’ confidence, the companies have to spend a lot of money, which is a significant burden for start-ups.
• Integration challenges with legacy systems: One of the biggest challenges for companies is the ability to integrate modern access control systems with the existing infrastructure. It is a common challenge that many companies have to invest a significant amount and deal with many technical issues to adopt new technologies. The other challenge is the fact that there are many ways of ensuring interoperability without necessarily having to stop work in the process.