On October 22 the Federal Communications Commission published an order allowing Intel to continue operating foreign-made robots in its US semiconductor plants for a period of one year. The equipment in question is automated guided vehicles that run on predefined paths and move materials around the fab, typically made by Japanese companies such as Murata Machinery and Daifuku, according to Bloomberg.
The FCC ban mainly covers new models of mobile robots, such as humanoids and robot vacuums, and still allows imports of robots previously approved for sale in the United States. Intel said in its request that it was unclear whether its vehicles even qualify as covered robots, but sought relief just in case. It also received approval to make hardware, software and firmware changes needed for maintenance, and argued that no US-made alternatives meet its requirements.
Approval came within a week of the October 16 filing. In the background: the US government holds an $8.9 billion equity stake in Intel and sees it as an anchor for reshoring chip manufacturing, while the wider US robotics industry is still grappling with the consequences of the ban, given that China is the world's leading supplier of robots and robotic components.