Lei Technology AI Hardware Team | Editor: kkknei | Supervisor: Luo Chao

Over the past few years, smart cleaning products such as robot vacuums and wet-dry vacuum cleaners have pushed indoor cleaning to the absolute limit. However, in the European and American markets, the focus extends beyond indoors to outdoors, namely lawn care. Recently, the MOVA ViAX series robotic lawnmowers have topped the Best Seller lists on multiple Amazon sites including Germany, Italy, and Spain. Among them, Italian site sales grew over 1,290% year-on-year, while German site sales saw an even more staggering surge of 2,360%. Meanwhile, in the European building materials retail chain BAUHAUS, MOVA has long held the number one spot in sales.

In fact, robotic lawnmowers are not an entirely new category. As early as around 2010, manufacturers such as Husqvarna and Bosch had already launched related products. However, for a long time, this category has been hindered by the issue of "high usage barriers." Most users are reluctant to give up traditional lawnmowers simply because they are easier to use.

For example, traditional solutions typically require burying boundary wires or relying on RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) base stations for positioning. This not only renders installation complex and costly but also fails to deliver an out-of-the-box experience for ordinary users. This is why, despite the steady demand for lawn care among European and American households, robotic lawnmowers have never achieved rapid adoption like robot vacuums. The recent explosion of MOVA is essentially about solving this very problem.

MOVA achieves wire-free mapping through a fusion solution combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) binocular vision and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). Users only need to map their lawns via an app, compressing the entire process to just a few minutes. Meanwhile, the system can identify lawn boundaries, obstacles, and dynamic targets such as pets, completing path planning and obstacle avoidance.

Currently, the smart robotic lawnmower industry is actually at a stage of technological divergence. One type is the high-precision positioning solution centered on RTK, such as the solutions from Segway Navimow and Worx. These solutions offer high positioning accuracy but rely on base stations, have higher environmental requirements, and increase usage costs. The other type is a perception solution centered on vision, supplemented by LiDAR fusion. MOVA is one of the most successful manufacturers in the latter category, having built a complete perception and execution system through binocular vision, a 3D LiDAR fusion system, and cutting deck structure optimization.

The advantage of this solution lies in its simpler deployment and stronger adaptability to complex environments, while also aligning more closely with the scaling logic of consumer electronics. However, the challenge is that it demands higher algorithmic complexity and system integration capabilities. In other words, MOVA's solution is closer to transforming the robotic lawnmower into a brand-new AI terminal. According to an independent research report by globally renowned consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, MOVA’s LiDAR robotic lawnmowers rank first in global sales. As of March 2026, cumulative shipments have exceeded 300,000 units, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 500%, and full-year shipments are expected to surpass 1,000,000 units.

In fact, this explosion of MOVA perfectly aligns with the new trend of the yard economy. In the European and American markets, lawns are not merely decorative; they represent a lifestyle, which brings long-term, stable, and high-frequency maintenance demands. According to data from Grand View Research, the global smart robotic lawnmower market is expected to hit $60 billion to $100 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of between 12% and 20%. However, the penetration rate of smart robotic lawnmowers within the overall lawn care equipment market stands below 2%, leaving enormous room for future growth.

Over the past few years, Chinese manufacturers expanding overseas have often competed in mature product segments such as smartphones, TVs, and computers. However, niche categories like robotic lawnmowers have attracted less attention from manufacturers, which has become a breakthrough point. On the one hand, these markets have clear demands, but the competitive landscape has not yet formed at scale. On the other hand, the advantages of Chinese manufacturers in supply chain integration, algorithmic capabilities, and hardware engineering are already sufficient to support the implementation of complex products. From robot vacuums to robotic lawnmowers, the core lies in systems engineering covering perception, decision-making, and execution, which is precisely the area where domestic manufacturers have accumulated the deepest capabilities over the past few years. MOVA’s ability to make the leap from product launch to explosive sales within one year essentially stems from capitalizing on this trend.

Looking ahead, robotic lawnmowers are highly likely to become the next robot vacuums, yet they come with greater technical challenges, more complex operating scenarios and stricter technical requirements. This also means many players will not rush into this market segment anytime soon, and the market will be dominated by leading manufacturers for a long period. For MOVA, the current explosion is just the beginning; what is more critical next is how to continuously widen the gap in terms of technology, channels, and brand.

#MOVA #Robotic Lawnmowers