n NEWS January 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com 10 FOUR INDUSTRIAL COMMUNICATIONS organisations have joined forces to release a document containing key extensions for standardising Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) and enhancing the EthernetAPL physical layer. The technologies are already being implemented in plants worldwide. The new SPE specification supports higher powered devices and includes Power-over-Data-Line (PoDL) capabilities, as well as details of power classes and definitions of connectors. It is expected to lead to the wider use of SPE in discrete, non-hazardous factory environments, such as automotive and packaging plants. For Ethernet-APL, Power Class B, which supports devices up to 1.16W, has been incorporated into the second edition of IEC TS 63444. The Ethernet-APL standard also extends interoperability to non-hazardous SPE applications. The new standards have been produced by the Independent Protocol Physical Layer (10Base-T1L) working group, which includes representatives from the FieldComm Group, ODVA, the OPC Foundation and PI Unified SPE and Ethernet-APL standard will lead to ‘smarter automation’ THE UK INDUSTRIAL AI start-up Matta has raised $14m of funding to help it transform how products are designed and manufactured. The money will be used to accelerate development of the company’s AI that helps factories see, understand, and improve themselves in real time. London-based Matta was founded in 2022 as a spin-out from Cambridge University. It has already deployed its technology in factories in the UK and Europe making a variety of products (see Drives & Controls, November/December 2025). Matta’s AI spots defects, traces root causes, and helps teams fix problems before they become costly. The technology can work across all types of manufacturing from electronics and automotive to defence and clothes, and on manual inspection stations, conveyor lines, or robot arms. The funding round was led by Lakestar, alongside investors Giant Venture, RedSeed VC, InMotion Ventures, 1st Kind (Peugeot family), Unruly Capital, and Boost VC, with grant support from Innovate UK and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Matta will use the funding to accelerate customer adoption and AI development, expand deployment, and support its expansion across Europe and the US. Matta’s AI learns the physical rules of a production line and applies them to the line. Its initial applications are using machine vision to automate quality control and anomaly detection, perform measurements, diagnose root causes, and recommend corrective actions in real time. Matta says it has a waiting list of more than 300 potential customers, and is installing a new system every two weeks. (Profibus & Profinet International). “This milestone establishes the foundation for vendor-independent communication based on SPE and Ethernet-APL, paving the way for the decisive and necessary digitalisation of industrial sectors,” says PI board member, Harald Müller, who led the working group. “Building on this, we have already implemented Profinetover-APL in productive plants and will continue to drive adoption with these new enhancements.” The developments are intended to strengthen the foundation for reliable, vendor-independent communications and data from the field level upwards, leading to smarter automation. Another milestone has been the preparation of certification systems. A test system has been developed to ensure quality and physical layer interoperability. Parallel activities are underway to offer technical guidelines and seminars, and to develop SPE demonstrators. Further enhancements are planned, such as adding a 100Mbit/s bandwidth for two-wire Ethernet applications (100Base-T1L), and incorporating the documents into IEC standards. “The alignment of Ethernet-APL and SPE provides a solid foundation for unified, vendor-independent Ethernet communication in industrial automation,” explains Stefan Hoppe, president and executive director of the OPC Foundation. “Together with OPC UA, these technologies enable consistent and interoperable information exchange across all system levels.” ODVA president and executive director, Dr Al Beydoun, adds that his organisation is “pleased to support the continued development of EthernetAPL and SPE to drive the immense benefits of Ethernet digital communication down to the field level. The Ethernet-APL and SPE physical layers will allow for simplified wiring, reduced cost, and longer cable runs for EtherNet/IP network users in factory and process automation worldwide.” The SPE and Ethernet-APL developments were announced at the SPS show in Germany, where there were several multi-vendor demonstrations of SPE products, amid predictions that the technology is on the verge of a breakthrough following the recent decision by two rival SPE consortia to settle their differences. A number of SPE products were launched at SPS, including one by TE Connectivity which premiered a hybrid SPE connector in an M12 format that supports the integration of powerdemanding field devices into networks and can transmit large amounts of data in real time to control systems or the cloud. The connector, which complies with IEC 63171-7, has a 2 x 8A capability, thus supporting components needing up to 1kW. It can also carry data at up to 1Gbit/s – ten times faster than earlier devices complying with IEC 61076-2-113. Weidmüller also demonstrated several SPE developments, including a miniaturised, field-assembly SPE connection system, as well as IP20- and IP67-protected SPE PCB components with optional LED indicators. Weidmüller was one of many suppliers demonstrating SPE products at the recent SPS show in Germany UK industrial AI start-up raises $14m to help it build ‘sentient factories’
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