According to one industry player’s own parochial survey, the shift to mobile access and digital identification has been growing

Based on a Nov 2023 to Jan 2024 survey of around 1,200 security professionals^ across the world* on access control and related smart building trends, a firm specializing in that business has disclosed five trends from the data, of which four are listed below, for their focus on the technology and sustainability aspects.

First, aside from physical access control devices, 39% of respondents were actively use mobile identities such as touchless/contactless solutions (48%) and mobile access (44%).

Second, 48% of respondents already had access control/badge scanning systems in place to monitor smart-building usage throughout the day, at least to some extent. Additionally, 43% had cited “smart buildings” and “flexible workspaces” being among the top three trends shaping the wider access control industry. Some 32% had cited “integration with other business functions” as a one of the top trends.

Other findings  

The remaining findings were:

  1. 63% of respondents cited that those with responsibility for sustainability in their organizations had either some influence or were fully consulted when it came to upgrading physical access control systems.
  2. 38% of respondents indicated they were looking to incorporate AI/ML into their access control solutions, with the same percentage indicating they were unsure of the benefits. Some 23% indicated they did not have any plans to incorporate AI technologies.

According to Prabhuraj Patil, Senior Director, Physical Access Control Solutions (ASEAN and India), HID, the firm sharing its commissioned-survey findings, respondents have been shifting towards mobile access and digital identification and creating “increasing demand for secure, flexible, and convenient solutions that enhance both security and user experience.”

^listed in the survey report as “end users and industry partners (installers, integrators and original equipment manufacturers)” (presumably of the commissioning entity)

*including the regions comprising the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Asia Pacific.