Shipment delays may hit near-term sales, but company expects approval and sees opening as Chinese rivals face tougher barriers
Samsung Electronics subsidiary Rainbow Robotics has halted US shipments of its RB-Y1 mobile humanoid robot under new American restrictions on foreign-made advanced robots, forcing the company to seek conditional approval and prepare a plan for future production in the United States.
The company said shipments scheduled for August and September have been delayed, with some impact on sales expected in the near term. It plans to submit its application this month and believes exports can resume once approval is secured.
“In the short term, we have not been able to ship the volumes scheduled for August and September, so there will be some impact on sales,” a Rainbow Robotics official told The Korea Herald. “But we expect to receive approval.”
The US Federal Communications Commission added foreign-produced advanced robotic devices to its Covered List on July 28. Under the rule, covered products cannot receive the authorization needed for sale in the US unless they obtain Conditional Approval from the Department of War. The category includes humanoids, quadrupeds and autonomous mobile robots.
The measure is widely seen as part of Washington's effort to curb security risks tied to Chinese technology, but its scope is based on where a robot is produced rather than the nationality of its maker. That means Korean manufacturers are also subject to the rule.
Rainbow is now preparing the US manufacturing and investment plan required for the approval process. The company said it is considering possible production arrangements in the US, but stressed that it has not decided to build a factory there.
The exemption route is already in use. On Sept. 9, US authorities granted Conditional Approval to four robotic platforms made by Sweden's Husqvarna, the first advanced robotic devices listed under the program. The FCC's approval table lists the four Husqvarna platforms with a Sept. 9 approval date.
Rainbow sees the rule as a short-term disruption rather than a lasting setback. The company also believes it could benefit if the restrictions make it harder for Chinese robot makers to sell new products in the US.
“If Chinese suppliers are increasingly shut out of the US market, American customers will have to look for alternatives,” the official said. “We think that could ultimately work in our favor.”
The official said Rainbow would welcome government help, but played down suggestions that the company was facing an immediate crisis. “This is not a situation where we are in serious trouble right now,” the official said. “If the government can help speed things up, of course that would be helpful.”
The US is a major market for Korean robot makers. It accounted for about 493.9 billion won ($357 million), or roughly 40 percent, of South Korea's 1.26 trillion won in robot exports in 2024, according to the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement.
mjh@heraldcorp.com
