Software is the core of modern robotics
A conversation with Roger Kulläng in 2017, former Chief Engineer Software Products at ABB Robotics
At RT-Labs, we build industrial software that enables automation leaders to move faster, scale smarter and focus on what truly matters. Few understand the shift in the industry as clearly as Roger Kulläng, who led software development at ABB Robotics during a period of rapid technological transformation.
“When we released our first robot controller in 1974, the software was just eight kilobytes,” says Kulläng. “Two engineers could keep track of every line. Today, software is so complex and central to the product that it’s impossible for one person to know everything.”
Kulläng estimates that software now makes up roughly 50% of a robot’s total value. But unlike in earlier decades, customers today expect that software to be continuously maintained, updated and improved. This shift has enormous implications for how robotics companies organize their development work—and what kind of partnerships they rely on.
“Previously, you could finalize a product and let it run for ten years untouched. That’s no longer realistic,” Kulläng explains. “You need to be smarter. Develop in small iterations. Modularize. Test more efficiently. Focus your own resources on what really defines your product, and partner for the rest.”
At ABB, that core is motion control. “That’s where we aim to be the best in the world. Everything else—network stacks, operating systems, base services—we buy in or partner for. But the final product still needs to feel like ABB. Integration is key.”
The conversation underscores a core belief at RT-Labs: modern industrial software development isn’t just about writing great code. It’s about knowing your core, building trust in your ecosystem, and ensuring that the full system works reliably in the real world.
“Open source can be incredibly powerful—but only when it’s active, maintained and well-understood,” says Kulläng. “If a customer’s production stops, it’s still your name on the product. You carry the responsibility.”
As complexity increases, automated testing, agile workflows and smart modularization become essential. So does partnering with suppliers who can take full ownership of their part of the stack.
“The customer doesn’t care who built what. They care that the whole product works as one. You need to own the full experience, even when it’s built together with others.”
At RT-Labs, we take pride in being one of those partners—delivering robust, maintainable industrial software that enables companies like ABB to stay focused on what they do best.
This interview was originally conducted in Swedish. Quotations have been translated and edited for clarity. The full conversation is available in the video above.