Robot lawn mowers can be a major effort-saver, but there's a bit of a learning curve to getting started with one. I say this as someone who nearly had a breakdown when trying to test their first lawnbot (I'm happy to say that I've since mastered them). However, it looks like future owners might be able to skip the stressful stage altogether, thanks to the introduction of a new kind of navigation technology.
LiDAR-powered lawnbots were everywhere at CES – in fact, it's one of the hot tech trends for 2026. This light-based positioning system is already the standard in the best robot vacuums, and now it looks set to make its way beyond that market, too. I had a chance to chat to Tony Ho, vice president of business development for Segway Navimow, about this particular advancement and why it's such a big deal.
LiDAR works by shooting out beams of light, using time-of-flight sensors to measure how long these beams take to bounce back. Then, using that information, it figures out where objects are positioned, allowing it to build a 3D map of a space.
Segway Navimow has introduced the i2 LiDAR as a part of its new i2 compact lawnbot range, and it's far from the only robot mower brand following this approach. From the Roborock X1 LiDAR to the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD (and various sibling models), to the Anthbot M5 LiDAR and the Ecovacs GOAT LiDAR, pretty much all of the major brands are exploring this option for navigation.
Why is lawnbot LiDAR such a big deal?
While LiDAR isn't perfect for every scenario (I'll get into its limitations below), it does have some major benefits. You won't need to find somewhere for an RTK station to live; you won't have to deal with your robot getting lost whenever there's a tree blocking the satellite signal; and you definitely won't need to lay any boundary wires. Since LiDAR generates its own light beams, it will work in the dark, too.
In some situations, you'll be able to unbox your new lawnbot, place it on the ground and it will be able to just work out its surroundings and start cutting. "The LiDAR itself essentially can map," explains Tony. "So [it'll] localize the robot, and also automatically map out the lawn." A few brands are marketing this as some variation on 'drop and mow', and it's undoubtedly appealing.
"LiDAR actually likes obstacles. It's like human beings – we look for landmarks, right? So, when we try to navigate, we say, 'Hey, that building is here, that tree is over there, therefore, I'm home', or something like that," says Tony. "It's a very similar concept when you drop the robot for the first time. It looks around for obstacles and uses that information to figure out where it is. Then, the next time it's in the same spot, it knows where it is. And after it knows where it is on the map, it can start doing path planning."
Removing this pain point from the setup process could have major implications for the market on a larger scale. Specifically, Tony thinks it could remove the barrier to entry that's stopping lawnbots from being widely adopted.
"Even though the product today is already quite easy to use, some people will say, 'Hey, I wanted this to be foolproof. Basically, I don't want to worry about this'," says Tony about the current setup process. "This LiDAR product will solve a lot of problems. Consumers will adopt [robot lawn mowers] quicker."
"LiDAR is perfect for smaller yards with obstacles," he continues. "We love [the i2 LiDAR]. It's literally worry-free."
LiDAR limitations
LiDAR isn't really suitable for use in large, open yards. "If you have a wide open space, the light beams have nothing to bounce off," says Tony (a rep tells me that you can actually get long-range LiDAR, but it's currently too expensive to be a workable solution in products such as this).
Thankfully, these kinds of obstacle-free areas are particularly well-suited to another navigation technology. "Once you're in open space, the best technology to use is satellites," continues Tony. That means that on lawnbots designed for larger areas – including the likes of the Segway Navimow X4 – you're more likely to see traditional satellite and RTK-based navigation.
In fact, many modern lawnbots will combine various different navigation technologies, so in situations where one fails, another can take over.
Part of the reason we're seeing (shorter-range) LiDAR in lawnbots now is that while previously it was very expensive, it's now starting to be manufactured more widely and therefore prices have come down.
There's a mix of two different types: mechanical LiDAR, where the module sits on top of the robot, beneath some kind of light protective casing; and "solid-state" LiDAR, where the LiDAR module is tucked into the body of the lawnbot. The mechanical option is more exposed and arguably more open to damage, but it does offer a 360-degree "view" of the area, which the solid-state version lacks. As to which works best for navigation, there's no clear answer yet – we'll need to get into testing and report back on this one.
Whichever prevails, it's certainly an exciting time for robot lawn mowers.
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Source: TechRadar
