Matic gets an FCC waiver for robots that were already approved

The US Federal Communications Commission has added Matic’s original robot vacuum, model 4MA0001, and charging dock, model 4DK0008, to its ban waiver list. The decision allows the FCC to approve the radio products for import, marketing, and sale, but the devices’ radios had already been approved.

The FCC bans affect future foreign-made drones, robots, and routers entering the United States; they do not cover products whose radios were approved earlier. Matic uses an Intel AX210 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that has its own FCC approval. The company assembles its robots in Mountain View, California.

The waiver covers those two specific models, rather than granting blanket approval for Matic’s robot brand. The Verge reports that the FCC is considering closing loopholes and requiring manufacturers to disclose gadget components. Matic says it does not yet source 65 percent of its components from US suppliers, the threshold for being considered Made in the US.

Co-founder and CEO Mehul Nariyawala told The Verge that Matic already gets its “core compute platform” from Nvidia and sources other “critical components” from US companies whenever possible. He said that up to 3 months ago the company’s research and development offices and production facilities shared a 24,000-square-foot Mountain View site; Matic has since converted it to production and moved its office to Menlo Park. Nariyawala said annual shipments rose from 1,500 robots a year ago to 17,000 now, and that Matic is seeking more US suppliers.