Last week, US regulators banned a wide variety of Chinese-made robots from being imported to the United States due to national security concerns. Saurabh Chandra, founder of Ati Robotics, saw an opportunity to expand his company’s operations in India, where it assembles robots with fewer Chinese components than most US-based robotics firms. Chandra believes this shift could help his startup compete on price and performance despite the challenges of building hardware from scratch.
Ati Robotics, founded in 2017 to develop motors for self-driving cars, now focuses on creating its own robots, including tuggers and pallet movers that transport heavy materials in warehouses and factories. Chandra says the decision to build hardware in-house, rather than relying on Chinese suppliers, was a strategic choice that, while initially met with caution from advisers, has paid off. The company currently operates several hundred robots and has over 50 customers, with its first humanoid robot expected to launch later this year.
Chandra explained that while some components like battery cells still come from China, alternatives are available, such as South Korean or Japanese suppliers. He emphasized that the company’s 10,000-pound tugger is nearly China-free, using only battery cells from China. The pallet mover has less than 5 percent Chinese parts, and the company is actively seeking to reduce its reliance on Chinese components for future models. Chandra also noted that the new import ban may encourage more US-based robotics firms to produce locally, though many are still in denial about the impact.
Source: wired
