“At first, we didn’t think about robot vacuum cleaners,” is how the interview with Quan Gang, co-founder and president of Roborock, began.
During our trip to Beijing to attend the Roborock conference, we had the opportunity to discover three new robot vacuum cleaners unveiled by the brand: the V20, the G20S (or S8 MaxV Ultra on the French market) and the P10S Pro .
Additionally, we had the honor of meeting Quan Gang, President and Co-Founder of Roborock, who gave us an exclusive interview.
You probably know this Chinese company. Their robot vacuum cleaners are among the best-selling, even though they have not yet started to be sold in major brands like Darty, Fnac or Boulanger.
However, Roborock has established itself as a leader in the field of robot vacuum cleaners, they have competed with the pioneer iRobot. Now that Roborock is 10 years old and announcing that they are the industry leader, this was the perfect opportunity to speak with Quan Gang. We wanted to understand how Roborock has established itself in just ten years.
Note that this interview was conducted during a trip to Beijing organized by Roborock to discover their latest developments and visit the R&D laboratory.
From technological innovation to conquering the robot vacuum cleaner market
From the first question, Quan Gang revealed to us that the company initially did not intend to launch into the design of robot vacuum cleaners. “ At first, we just wanted to create a company focused on technology development. We weren’t thinking about robot vacuums “, he confided. Indeed, the Roborock founding team was driven by the desire to achieve technological advances, without having a specific product in mind.
It was after developing the “ best LDS radar » that the company became interested in the robot vacuum cleaner market. Quan Gang explained: “ We realized that robot vacuums weren’t perfect yet. So we decided to create a better product “. Thus, Roborock embarked on this adventure without having any real prior knowledge in the field.
After failing to find a software solution in 2014, the team decided to develop their own technology using their engineering talents. Thus, Roborock took 26 months to create the best possible robot vacuum cleaner, by combining listening to consumers and investing in research and development.
Roborock’s strategy is therefore based on technological innovation. Quan Gang is himself an engineer, he told us: “ We are not chasing money. We invest in research and technological development. When we have a technological breakthrough, we combine that with customer needs to create a product. “.
Moreover, the dual vision 3D ToF Lidar, which equips the new V20 model, will have taken five years to be developed, half the life of Roborock: “ We invest in fundamental technological research, which sets us apart and allows us to offer unique innovations. “.
This approach highlights Roborock’s desire to push the limits of what is technologically possible in the field of robot vacuum cleaners, he also mentioned the parallels with autonomous driving, particularly in terms of autonomous navigation, perception of environment, and real-time decision-making.
We are not chasing money. We invest in research and technological development.
Our goal is technological breakthrough. We invest heavily in fundamental research and give our teams the time and space to develop new technologies
When we have a technological breakthrough, we combine that with customer needs to create a product.
I asked him about the future of domestic robots. At CES 2024 alone, Samsung announced progress on its domestic robot, LG too. We’ve been talking about it for ages: robots that hang around the house, that do the cleaning, that keep us company…
According to him, “ robot vacuum cleaners are just the beginning of a revolution in home robotics. In the future, devices will be smarter, thanks to advancements in CPUs, sensors and AI. “. Moreover, according to Quan Gang, today’s robot vacuum cleaners have important similarities with autonomous cars.
Quan Gang also highlighted the importance of adapting to consumer needs for the development of future home robots. “ We must continue to innovate and listen to the needs of our customers to create products that make their daily lives easier. “, he added.
He is convinced that technological progress will make it possible to offer ever more efficient and versatile domestic robots, capable of accomplishing a wide range of household tasks and thus improving the comfort of users’ lives.
Confidentiality and privacy: major issues for Roborock
Then I talked about confidentiality and privacy. He insisted that Roborock attaches great importance to data protection and the privacy of its customers. According to him, ” Security and privacy are our top priority. We have a comprehensive process to ensure user privacy and meet all requirements. “.
The first priority for us is to ensure that user privacy and all requirements are respected.
I took the opportunity to suggest adding a privacy mode to block the sensors of robot vacuum cleaners when it is not in operation. Such a mode would temporarily disable data collection by device sensors, such as cameras and microphones. It must be said that I got the idea while watching the presentation of the Xiaomi SU7 the day before, this car has a private life mode.
Roborock’s vision in the face of competition
Finally, I wanted to talk about iRobot. Remember the context: iRobot is an American company founded in 1990 by Colin Angle, Rodney Brooks and Helen Greiner. It is considered the pioneer of the robot vacuum sector, having launched its first model, the Roomba, in 2002. Twelve years before the creation of Roborock.
However, in recent years iRobot has encountered difficulties, notably following the failed takeover by Amazon. This acquisition, which could have strengthened iRobot’s market position, ultimately did not take place due to competition and data protection concerns.
Following this failure, Colin Angle, the founder and CEO of iRobot, announced his departure from the company in February 2024, leaving a void at the helm of the company he had co-founded more than thirty years previously. .
These events have weakened iRobot, which now faces increased competition in the robot vacuum cleaner market, particularly from Roborock, which now claims first place in the sector.
Quan Gang expressed respect for his competitor, “ iRobot is a great company and we respect it. We are not focused on competing with them, but rather on expanding the robot vacuum cleaner market so that more people can enjoy these products. “.
He believes that Roborock is lucky to have such a competitor, but does not focus on direct competition. Instead, Roborock is looking to expand the robot vacuum market so more people can benefit from it.
Although the answer seems to avoid a direct confrontation, it also shows that Roborock understands how the market works.