A system for detecting an operating state of a work machine (100), comprises at least two sensors (160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170, 178b, 178c, 178e, 178f, 178g, 172a, 172b, 174, 178a, 178d) for sensing parameters affecting an operation state of the machine (100) and an operating state evaluation circuit (228) having an output for an operating state signal value (232). The operating state evaluation circuit (228) determines the operating state signal value (232) based upon fused signals from the sensors and a sensor reliability signal from a weighing function evaluator (240).