As if iRobot wasn’t struggling enough already, now the US is effectively banning future Roombas from coming to the US.
This is part of the FCC Covered List, which is now adding more foreign-made advanced robotic devices. While the announcement focused on humanoids, robot dogs, and industrial machines, the FCC did confirm that robot vacuums are also part of this list.
This means that all future foreign-made Roombas and rival robot vacuums will be unable to receive the FCC authorization needed for sale in the US unless their manufacturers secure Conditional Approval.
This ban isn’t just targeting Chinese-made robots either, but any foreign country. This effectively bans all robot vacuums, even Samsung’s, which are made in South Korea.
The US is essentially banning any software-controlled machine that can travel across the ground without constant human input. This means that this wording can also cover connected lawnmowers, sidewalk delivery robots, and mobile machines used inside warehouses.
Why is the US banning robots?
The argument that the FCC is making here is cybersecurity. The assessment cites a recent flaw that reportedly exposed around 7,000 foreign-made robots, including live camera feeds, microphone audio, and detailed maps of people’s homes.
The good news is that this ban does not affect robots already imported, marketed, and sold in the US. So the Roomba or other robot vacuum in your home is not affected by this ban. Existing robots can also continue receiving security, software, firmware, and compatibility updates until at least January 1, 2029.
However, future launches are going to face a tougher path now. Especially if the FCC decides to push this onto all robots made outside of the US. iRobot is now owned by Chinese manufacturer Picea Robotics (the company that manufactured Roomba’s before the sale, actually). Of course, companies can seek Conditional Approval while moving more production to the US, but without it, a lot of models won’t be available for sale in the US.
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