The US ban on foreign-made advanced robotic devices targets more than just futuristic humanoid machines. It also reaches into people’s homes by covering robot vacuums, too.
As PCMag reports, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has confirmed that the newly announced ban, which stems from a White House order, covers both robot vacuums and robot lawn mowers.
In announcing the ban, the FCC specifically named “mobile robots, such as humanoids and quadrupeds.” However, an FAQ says the agency defines advanced robotic devices as “a mechanical mobile device [that] is capable of locomotion, obstacle avoidance, navigation, or movement on the ground,” which sounds a lot like robot vacuums. It also covers devices that weigh over 4.4 pounds in total, including ground or docking stations. Many robot vacuums are well over 5 or 10 pounds, especially when the dock is included.
Other requirements include a sensor capable of perceiving its surroundings, wireless connectivity, and local software installed — all features that robot vacuums have. The FAQ only explicitly excludes drones, connected vehicles, unmanned underwater craft, along with robot arms and assistive devices, from the ban.
It’s bad news for Chinese robot vacuum manufacturers. According to research firm IDC, the top five last year were all Chinese companies, with Roborock, Ecovacs, and Dreame leading the sector. However, the US ban only covers new advanced robot models, not existing products that have already received FCC equipment authorization for sale in the US. The “action does not impact a consumer’s continued use of devices they previously acquired,” the FCC says. “Nor does it prevent retailers from continuing to sell, import, or market relevant models approved previously.”
A separate FCC order also indicates that any existing robot vacuums already authorized “may continue to receive software and firmware updates that mitigate harm to US consumers at least until January 1, 2029.” The cutoff time also applies to foreign-made drones and Wi-Fi routers, but it’s possible the FCC could extend it through a future rulemaking.
Still, the ban threatens to block any new Chinese robot vacuums from reaching the US. Through the FCC, a company can apply to receive an exemption from the ban. But it’ll be up to the Defense Department or the Department of Homeland Security to sign off on the exemption, and it’s unclear whether the Trump administration is willing to do so. The White House has enforced similar bans on foreign-made drones and Wi-Fi routers, and so far, no exemption has been granted to a major Chinese vendor.
In deciding to ban the foreign-made robots, the White House cited the threat of the US becoming over-reliant on foreign suppliers for robot components and technologies. The same reliance could create a way for a foreign entity to “disrupt or degrade the supply chains at a time of their choosing.” Another concern is that spying may occur through the robots’ sensors.
“Given this evidence, the US government has a clear and compelling national security concern that foreign-produced advanced robotic devices could be weaponized to directly harm US national security and US persons,” the FCC says. The document also cites a few news articles about US robotics relying on Chinese components and an alleged backdoor found preinstalled in a robot dog product from Unitree.
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