Connecting autonomous cleaning robots using AWS with Kärcher

Headquartered in Winnenden, Germany, Kärcher is a global leader in cleaning technology with more than 160 subsidiaries across 82 countries. The company is known for its professional cleaning systems and its innovation in IoT-enabled autonomous solutions such as the Kira B 50 robot.

As Kärcher expanded into autonomous cleaning solutions, the company sought to enhance how it managed and maintained these systems at scale. Its Kira B 50 robot, designed for commercial environments such as retail spaces, healthcare facilities, public institutions, and industrial sites, required a more reliable and connected infrastructure to operate efficiently in the field. The existing setup limited visibility into device performance and made software updates dependent on manual intervention.

Kärcher also faced challenges ensuring that maintenance could be carried out consistently in locations with weak or no mobile connectivity. To meet these operational needs, the company looked to build a connected framework that would allow real-time monitoring, remote updates, and service continuity regardless of network conditions.

Working with AWS Partner Zoi, Kärcher built a connected framework that underpins its new generation of autonomous cleaning robots. Zoi’s expertise in IoT architecture and software gateway development helped Kärcher design a secure and flexible system that links each robot to the Kärcher Cloud running on AWS.

 

Kärcher selected AWS for its mature IoT ecosystem, global infrastructure, and ability to integrate seamlessly with existing digital platforms. The company needed a cloud environment capable of connecting hundreds of robots in the field, managing continuous data flows, and supporting remote maintenance across markets. AWS IoT Core provided the backbone for secure device communication and telemetry exchange, while AWS IoT Jobs enabled centralized control of software updates and monitoring across the fleet.

 

Zoi developed the software gateway that powers this connectivity, enabling each Kira B 50 robot to transmit status updates, configuration data, and operational metrics through AWS IoT Core. The system also allows service technicians to interact directly with the robots—whether online through the Kärcher Cloud or offline via local connection—ensuring continuous access for maintenance and diagnostics.

 

To streamline deployment, Zoi implemented a CI/CD pipeline hosted on AWS to automate the distribution of operating system updates and applications. The process includes a built-in rollback mechanism, maintaining system reliability even if an update fails. Together, these elements form a resilient IoT infrastructure that supports Kärcher’s autonomous cleaning operations worldwide.

By connecting each Kira B 50 to the Kärcher Cloud through AWS IoT Core, Kärcher now operates with continuous visibility into fleet performance, device health, and service needs across multiple regions. This cloud-native architecture—now fully 100% cloud-based—also eliminates the need for traditional on-premises infrastructure.

 

With centralized management via AWS IoT Jobs, Kärcher has simplified how updates are distributed and monitored. The automated CI/CD pipeline allows new features and improvements to reach customers faster and with minimal disruption.

 

Furthermore, the IoT-enabled foundation has supported the rapid scaling of Kärcher’s autonomous operations. To date, the Kira B 50 fleet has cleaned more than 12 million square meters of floor area and traveled over 22,700 kilometers in customer environments.

 

With these insights, Kärcher can now plan service proactively, resulting in a more resilient and efficient operating model for customers worldwide. “It's not just about the connection to the cloud; it's what you do with it,” says Leonhard Kerscher, vice president of IT & Digital Transformation at Kärcher.

 

“Our work with Kärcher showcases how AWS IoT can help manufacturers bridge the gap between machines and the cloud. By combining secure connectivity with automation, we helped create a foundation that supports smarter maintenance and long-term scalability,” says Stefan Bayha, project lead at Zoi.