Beijing-based robot vacuum maker Roborock introduced a new model in January 2025 with a folding arm powered by artificial intelligence to clear obstacles.
CNBC | Evelyn Cheng
BEIJING – Chinese robot vacuum cleaner company Roborock on Monday introduced a new model that comes with a folding arm to remove socks and other obstructions – a feature powered by artificial intelligence.
It’s the latest step in line with what RoboRock president Quan Gang expects: Robot vacuum cleaners will become as essential as washing machines.
Kwan told CNBC in an interview in late November that this is something that could happen in three years, especially with the emergence of AI. “If the era of AI flourishing has truly arrived, I believe robot vacuum cleaners will be the first category to apply AI,” he said in Mandarin, translated by CNBC.
According to the company, using AI developed by the company, the Roborock Saros Z70 can detect and remove obstacles such as socks, small towels, tissues and sandals weighing less than 300 grams (10.58 ounces).
The Saros Z70 is set to release in major global markets in the first half of the year, but Roborock has not yet announced pricing. The product has been revealed ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show, which starts on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Since when is Massachusetts located? iRobot launches its Roomba floor vacuuming robot in 2002Circular machines have evolved to include the ability to mop and automatically return to the charging base. Many companies, including several based in China, now sell robot vacuum cleaners.
Beijing-based Roborock began sales to the US in 2018, Kwan said, noting that sales in the country did not begin until 2023. Roborock also sells and makes its robot vacuums in countries like Germany, China and South Korea, Kwan said, making sure to follow local data privacy regulations.
But robot vacuum penetration rates remain low — just over 10% in developed countries and single digits in developing countries, Kwan said. He said this is both a challenge and a potential for growth, which he hopes can be boosted by the integration of artificial intelligence.
The Verge And wired Late last year the two touted separate Roborock models as the best robot vacuums available. But the machines are not cheap.
“RoboRock’s S8 MaxV Ultra ($1,799.99) is an extraordinary vacuum cleaner,” said The Verge, calling it “the best model in the relatively new category of ‘hands-free’ robot vacs, bots that do almost everything for you.” Some do: empty their bins, refill their mop tanks, and clean and dry their mop pads.”
The Verge said, “Roborock invented this category with the S7 MaxV Ultra and continues to improve.”
Wired selected Roborock’s Quravo S, which sells for $800 on Amazon. The review highlighted Qarevo’s lidar-based navigation and AI feature that enables the machine to differentiate between carpet and tiles for vacuuming or mopping, respectively.
Competition is fierce. CNET says two other companies have reached a deal for robot vacuums best of 2025the $900 Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo – which also has a self-emptying litter box – and the $359 iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus.
Supporting AI Research Lab
Shanghai-listed Roborock shares closed 2.6% higher on Friday after reports emerged about the Saros Z70 and its robotic arm. The stock climbed 10.3% in 2024.
Operating revenue in the first three quarters of 2024 rose 23.2% to 7 billion yuan ($960 million), with a profit of 1.47 billion yuan. Roborock does not break down revenues by region.
Quan said that soon after Roborock was founded in July 2014, the company realized the importance of artificial intelligence and established a dedicated laboratory in Shanghai and a research institute in Shenzhen. Each location houses about 30 researchers, Kwan said, who need to focus solely on the technology, unlike the product development team, which has to meet deadlines and consider profits.
The next challenge is to expand the number of researchers to about 300 people, Kwan said, adding that qualified talent is hard to find.
The company spent 9.1% of its operating revenue on research and development in the first three quarters of 2024, according to CNBC calculations of public data. The data shows it has been up a little more than 7% in each of the last three years.
Roborock also announced an update to its washing machines on Monday that can dry clothes in a single unit.
— CNBC’s Sonia Heng contributed to this report.
