Intel gets waiver after worries fuzzy US ban on foreign-made robots may hit fabs

US chip champion Intel was so confused by the US government ban on foreign-made robots that it requested and received a waiver “out of an abundance of caution.” The tech company wanted to make sure that it could continue using certain robotic vehicles in its US chip fabs.

美国芯片巨头英特尔对美国政府针对外国制造机器人的禁令感到困惑，因此“出于谨慎考虑”申请并获得了一项豁免。这家科技公司希望确保其能够继续在美国的芯片工厂中使用某些机器人车辆。

The uncertainty surrounding the Federal Communications Commission ban on certain foreign-made robots was revealed in the agency’s decision to grant Intel’s waiver request. On October 22, the FCC published its order allowing Intel to continue using the foreign-made robots in US semiconductor manufacturing facilities for a period of one year.

围绕美国联邦通信委员会（FCC）针对某些外国制造机器人禁令的不确定性，在监管机构决定批准英特尔的豁免请求时显露出来。10月22日，FCC发布命令，允许英特尔在美国半导体制造设施中继续使用这些外国制造的机器人，期限为一年。

The robots in question are automated guided vehicles operating on “tracks or predefined paths” while often requiring operator oversight, according to Intel’s website. They help to move materials and items around within warehouses and factory floors. Such robotic vehicles are typically manufactured by Japanese companies like Murata Machinery and Daifuku Co., according to Bloomberg News.

根据英特尔网站的介绍，这些机器人是运行在“轨道或预定路径”上的自动导引车，通常需要操作员监督。它们有助于在仓库和工厂车间内搬运材料和物品。据彭博社报道，此类机器人车辆通常由村田机械（Murata Machinery）和大福（Daifuku Co.）等日本公司制造。

But the exact types of robotic vehicles used by Intel were only identified in a “confidential appendix” that accompanied its request. The FCC’s ban mainly covers new models of mobile robots, like humanoid robots and robot vacuums, and still allows for the import of robots previously approved for sale in the United States. But the agency rules seem to restrict major modifications to “previously authorized devices.”

但英特尔所使用的具体机器人类型仅在其请求随附的“机密附录”中进行了说明。FCC的禁令主要涵盖人形机器人和扫地机器人等新型移动机器人，并仍允许进口此前已获准在美国销售的机器人。但该机构的规则似乎限制了对“此前已授权设备”进行重大修改。

Intel’s waiver request stated that it was “unclear” whether its robotic vehicles even qualify as robots covered by the FCC ban but said it sought relief just in case. The tech company also received approval to “make certain hardware, software, and firmware changes” that would help ensure the continued operation and maintenance of the robotic vehicles.

英特尔的豁免请求中称，其机器人车辆是否属于FCC禁令涵盖的机器人范围尚“不明确”，但表示寻求豁免只是为了以防万一。该公司还获得了“进行某些硬件、软件和固件更改”的批准，这将有助于确保这些机器人车辆的持续运行和维护。

The tech company described the robotic vehicles as being “critical to its domestic semiconductor manufacturing operations” and argued that the ability to maintain the robots was crucial to avoiding any disruptions to chip production. It also said there are no US-made alternatives that meet the company’s requirements.

这家科技公司将这些机器人车辆描述为对其“国内半导体制造业务至关重要”，并认为维护这些机器人的能力对于避免芯片生产中断至关重要。该公司还表示，目前没有符合其要求的美国制造替代品。

The FCC approval came within a week of when Intel filed its waiver request on October 16. That is not too surprising given the importance of Intel to the Trump administration’s plans for reshoring chip manufacturing—not to mention that the US government took an $8.9 billion equity stake in the chip company.

FCC在英特尔于10月16日提交豁免请求后的一周内就给予了批准。考虑到英特尔对于特朗普政府芯片制造业回流计划的重要性，这并不令人意外——更不用说美国政府还持有该公司89亿美元的股权。

Meanwhile, the US robotics industry at large is still grappling with the consequences of the FCC ban on foreign-made robots, given that China is the world’s leading supplier of robots and robotic components. Ars previously talked with one US robotics distributor that has pivoted from importing China’s humanoid robots to opening a US manufacturing facility for robots.

与此同时，鉴于中国是全球领先的机器人和机器人组件供应商，美国整个机器人行业仍在努力应对FCC外国制造机器人禁令带来的后果。Ars此前曾采访过一家美国机器人分销商，该公司已从进口中国的人形机器人转向在美国开设机器人制造工厂。

Some analysts have warned that the US government’s attempt to boost domestic production of robots via the restrictions on foreign-made robots could backfire for US industry. A report by the market intelligence firm International Data Corporation looks forward to 2030 and estimates that the FCC rule could reduce US revenue from deploying humanoid robots by 58 percent compared to pre-restriction expectations.

一些分析师警告称，美国政府试图通过限制外国制造机器人来促进国内机器人生产的做法，可能会对美国行业产生反作用。市场情报公司国际数据公司（IDC）的一份报告展望了2030年，估计与限制前的预期相比，FCC的规定可能会使美国部署人形机器人的收入减少58%。