Yesterday the US government announced its was updating its list of banned foreign-made products to include “advanced robotic devices,” and today an FCC spokesperson confirmed that applies to robot vacuums too.
Ban on robot vacuums hits Roomba, Roborock, and other popular brands—but you can still use yours
When the Trump administration announced yesterday that it was banning “advanced robotic devices” from entering the United States, the headlines were all about
humanoids. But spying doesn’t require legs — and neither does the FCC’s robot ban.The robot ban will sweep up robot vacuum cleaners too
,FCC media relations director Katie Gorscak confirms toThe Verge.It’s not coming for your existing Roomba, and companies can keep importing and selling already approved ones. But the government claims that future foreign robots pose a national security risk, and even robovac companies are suddenly being asked to commit to US manufacturing.
The FCC argues that advanced robotic devices come with a national security risk. And that applies to products we might think benign, such as robot vacuums, lawnmowers, and more.
Unless a device is explicitly approved, or made domestically for example, it won’t be allowed for sale in the US.
This ban is poised to hit robot vacuums especially hard, as top brands like Roomba, Roborock, Ecovacs, and more are all Chinese-owned.
If you own one of these products, you can keep using it today uninterrupted. No one from the FCC is coming for your robovac.
But depending on how this ban plays out, the market for robot vacuums could take some wild turns in the near future. And if all of this sounds familiar, that’s because it echoes the wireless router ban from a few months back.
Will you continue using your current robot vacuum? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.
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