The vertical transportation industry is dominated by a small number of global players who have introduced many significant innovations. However, these have typically been deployed as proprietary systems, limiting wider adoption and preventing others in the industry from building upon them.

Various efforts have been made to increase accessibility and interoperability across manufacturers, particularly for self-contained subsystems where innovation is permitted within the bounds of applicable codes. More intelligent applications, however, often require interaction with the lift controller, which is typically considered part of the safety chain.

To improve interoperability, multiple initiatives have sought to standardise communication protocols between lift controllers and subsystem devices. Despite some of these efforts dating back decades, widespread adoption remains limited. In the absence of regulatory requirements, uptake depends on individual manufacturer strategy—many of whom favour fully integrated platforms for reasons including product standardisation, subsystem coordination, and legacy compatibility.

This paper explores an alternative approach: enabling innovation through an Internet of Things (IoT) platform that operates alongside the lift controller without modifying the certified safety chain. The system architecture uses retrofittable, hardware-agnostic edge devices to monitor door activity and passenger movement, communicating via standard interfaces such as Ethernet or LTE.

Designed for compatibility across manufacturers, models, and equipment generations, this approach creates new opportunities for integrating functions such as intelligent dispatching and people-flow analytics without relying on proprietary system access. By decoupling innovation from the core controller, it offers a scalable path towards greater openness and faster adoption of new technologies across the industry.