Roborock has unveiled its latest flagship robot vacuum cleaners, the Saros 20 and Saros 20 Sonic, featuring a major hardware upgrade aimed at improving autonomous navigation. Announced at CES 2026, these new models are equipped with the improved AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0.
This upgraded chassis system is designed to help the robots navigate complex home environments without human intervention. The primary benefit of the new system is the ability to climb over obstacles that typically stop lesser robots, specifically thresholds up to 3.3 inches tall. The system also handles difficult double-layer thresholds, allowing the bots to traverse steps with heights of 1.7 and 1.57 inches per step.
Beyond obstacle climbing, the AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0 enhances cleaning performance on soft surfaces. The chassis features dynamic elevation, which automatically adjusts the height of the robot to accommodate carpets with pile heights up to 1.2 inches. This ensures that the vacuum maintains contact with the floor surface for effective debris removal, even on high-pile rugs.
The core innovation in the Saros 20 series is the AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0. This mechanism represents a significant leap in physical adaptability for robot vacuums. Previously, many users had to manually assist their robots over high thresholds or place virtual barriers to prevent them from getting stuck on transition strips between rooms.
With the 3.3 inch climbing capability, the Saros 20 can navigate common household obstacles such as:
Thick door threshold strips
Transition strips between hardwood and tile
High-pile area rugs
Double-layer steps up to 1.7 and 1.57 inches
This level of physical autonomy is rare in the current market and addresses a primary pain point for robot vacuum owners: the need for a "spotless" map that doesn't account for physical barriers.
Robot vacuums have historically struggled with thick carpets, often spinning their wheels without gaining traction or simply avoiding the area altogether. The Saros 20 solves this through dynamic chassis elevation.
When the sensors detect a carpet with significant pile, the chassis physically raises the robot's body. This allows the brushes and suction intake to engage with carpet fibers up to 1.2 inches high. This feature ensures that deep-seated dust and debris are removed from rugs, a task that standard-height robots frequently fail to accomplish.
By integrating these physical adjustments into the chassis, Roborock ensures that the Saros 20 and Saros 20 Sonic can clean a home in a single pass, moving seamlessly from hard floors to high-pile rugs and over tall thresholds.
Roborock announced two specific models at the event: the Saros 20 and the Saros 20 Sonic. While both share the core AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0 technology, the "Sonic" designation typically implies specific features in Roborock's naming convention, though the source text focuses primarily on the shared chassis capabilities.
The announcement was made at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, a major industry event where manufacturers showcase their upcoming innovations. The focus on physical climbing ability suggests Roborock is targeting homes with complex layouts and varied flooring types that require more than just software-based navigation solutions.
The introduction of the Saros 20 and Saros 20 Sonic marks a pivotal shift toward hardware-based autonomy in the robot vacuum market. By prioritizing the AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0, Roborock has directly addressed the most common mechanical failures of previous generations—getting stuck on thresholds and failing to clean thick carpets.
With the ability to climb 3.3 inches and adjust dynamically to 1.2 inch carpet piles, these new flagship models promise a more reliable and comprehensive cleaning experience. As these devices move from announcement to retail availability, they are poised to set a new standard for what consumers can expect from an autonomous floor cleaner.
