Americans warned robot vacuums could be BANNED under new FCC national security crackdown

Americans who have become accustomed to letting a robot vacuum clean their homes could soon find their options for buying a new model dramatically reduced.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) it would no longer certify certain foreign-produced 'advanced robotic devices,' effectively blocking them from being imported or sold in the US.

Among other features, the FCC ban impacts devices that can move autonomously, use sensors to map their surroundings, connect to the internet and run software that controls their movement and data collection. 

While in the announcement the FCC seems chiefly concerned with the humanoid robots that are part of the artificial intelligence boom, many robot vacuums Americans use every day appear to fit the commission's definition of an 'advanced robotic device.'

Some of the most popular robot vacuum brands could be caught up in the crackdown, including models from companies such as Roborock, Dreame, Narwal, Eufy and ECOVACS.

Thankfully, Americans do not need to discard their existing robot vacuums. The Roomba or Roborock that's already cleaning your living room isn't suddenly illegal.

The new restrictions apply to foreign-made devices seeking FCC authorization after July 28. Previously authorized models can continue to be imported and sold in the US.

The biggest impact could be felt by shoppers waiting for the next generation of robot cleaners, particularly models with increasingly sophisticated cameras, sensors or mapping systems enhanced by artificial intelligence.

These are the features at the heart of the government's national security concerns.

Modern robot vacuums can create detailed maps of a home, connect to a household's Wi-Fi network and, depending on the model, use cameras, microphones, LiDAR and other sensors to understand their surroundings.

The FCC says connected robotic devices pose cybersecurity and supply chain risks, including the possibility of unauthorized access to data or remote control of the device.

The government is not, however, accusing every foreign-made robot vacuum currently in American homes of spying on their owners.

Instead, the restriction reflects a broader determination that certain foreign-produced connected robotic devices pose an unacceptable national security risk.

For consumers, the change could eventually have a more mundane consequence: fewer choices.

Many robot vacuum brands sold in the US manufacture their products overseas, meaning companies could face a choice between seeking special approval, changing where their products are made or continuing to sell older models that have already received authorization.

The FCC does have a potential escape hatch.

Manufacturers can seek 'conditional approval' if they can demonstrate that their devices do not pose the national security risks.

But until companies secure those approvals or shift production, the pipeline of new robot vacuums entering the US could become much smaller.

The robot vacuum market has increasingly moved toward expensive, highly sophisticated machines that do far more than simply hoover up dust.

The newest models can vacuum and mop, identify objects in their path, map entire homes and return to docking stations to empty their own bins or wash their mops.

Those advanced features are precisely what make the devices useful - and what make them increasingly connected to the internet and capable of collecting information about their surroundings.

The restrictions also could limit the import of other connected robots, including autonomous lawn mowers and certain robotic cleaning devices, which also fall under the FCC's definition of an advanced robotic device.