Mercury Security, a pioneer in open architecture access control hardware and an HID brand, releases its 2026 Trends in Access Controllers Report, revealing how changing cybersecurity requirements, interoperability needs, cloud adoption and emerging technologies are putting greater emphasis on the role controllers play in long-term physical access control strategy.
Based on a global survey of 561 physical security and cybersecurity professionals, including administrators responsible for access control management, systems integrators, installers and end users, the report found that 78% of respondents consider the controller important or critical to their physical access control system (PACS) strategy, up from 72% in 2025. This growth reflects the controller's expanding role in the security environment. As it connects more devices, systems and applications across the security environment, organisations are placing greater importance on infrastructure that can address current requirements while supporting new capabilities over time.
