FCC expands ban on foreign-made robotic devices, including robot vacuums

The Federal Communications Commission said it will prohibit the import and sale of new foreign-made robotic devices that travel on the ground, weigh more than 4.4 pounds, have environmental perception capabilities and use wireless connectivity. The rule, announced by the Trump administration, applies to a broad range of robots, from vacuum cleaners to lawn mowers and warehouse automation units, but does not affect devices already approved for the U.S. market.

FCC media relations director Katie Gorscak confirmed that the ban includes robot vacuum cleaners, noting that manufacturers will need to obtain a waiver or demonstrate a commitment to U.S. production for future models. Companies such as the former Roomba maker, now owned by a Chinese firm, and other leading Chinese brands like Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal could be subject to the new requirements.

"There are very few non-Chinese brands these days and their share is so small that it’s difficult to track," IDC analyst Jitesh Ubrani told The Verge.

U.S. firms will also need to show that a majority of components are sourced domestically; Matic, a California-assembled robot vacuum, indicated it currently sources 65 percent of parts from the United States and may need a waiver for new models.

The FCC said the measure is intended to address national-security concerns linked to foreign-controlled hardware, and it will exempt certain categories such as self-driving cars, trains, unmanned aircraft, underwater vehicles, surgical robots, wheelchairs and fixed industrial arms. Existing robots, routers and drones will not be forced out of service.

Four unnamed sources reported that the agency may grant exemptions to some non-Chinese suppliers, and the FCC has previously allowed exemptions for companies like Netgear under similar security-related rules.