Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said the agency “need[s] a safe domestic supply chain,” as it added foreign-made humanoid robots and quadruped robotic devices to its Covered List, blocking new models from import or sale in the United States.
“We’ve done this before with drones,” Carr said, comparing the situation with drones in an interview on the TBPN podcast Tuesday. “At the end of last year, we added all foreign-produced drones,” Carr said, adding that the move drew roughly $5 billion into U.S. domestic drone manufacturing.
Current Robot Owners Won’t Be Affected
“We’re not going to take anything out of your hands right now,” Carr stated. He said people can still buy new versions of existing models. He also added that the move is intended to signal to the market that it is time to make the transition.
In late July, the FCC announced restrictions targeting emerging Chinese technologies, with the rule also covering Chinese-made power inverters.
Carr told TBPN the FCC is separately cracking down on “bad labs,” noting that roughly 70% of U.S.-bound electronics are tested at China-based facilities, some of which he said are tied to the People’s Liberation Army.
Earlier, China called the ban “severely damaging” to bilateral relations and stability between the two countries. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk also voiced skepticism about the move on X.
The agency is also revisiting older Covered List entries, including Huawei and ZTE Corp. equipment, for potential further restrictions, Carr said.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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