A distributed control system including a plurality of controllers mounted on a forklift, and a network providing connections between or among the plurality of controllers within the forklift. A first controller out of the plurality of controllers is configured to control a function in response to an interfacing signal received from a second controller out of the plurality of controllers. When not receiving the interfacing signal during a predetermined period, the first controller controls the function using data stored in the first controller in place of the interfacing signal.