Unfortunately, even if octave can replace MATLAB the language, it&#x27;s going to take herculean effort to replace MATLAB the ecosystem. Replacing Simulink alone is a huge undertaking, let alone trying to replicate SimMechanics, or some of the other more niche toolboxes. Being able to run a control system block diagram on arbitrary hardware (ARM boards, etc) is huge in the controls world.<p>The places I see using MATLAB today rely on Simulink &amp; SimMechanics, as well as the Control Systems toolbox and the computer vision packages. OpenCV can replace some of the CV stuff, but can&#x27;t provide an integrated solution for the controls portion.