Data Gaps and Growth Potential

It is important to stress that Asia’s numbers in the ranking remain a conservative picture. Researching fleets from outside the region is difficult, with language barriers, fragmented reporting, and uneven OEM transparency limiting what could be verified. Several large Japanese, Chinese, and Korean fleets are known to exist but were not included because data could not be confirmed. This means the apparent doubling of Asia’s footprint in 2025 likely underestimates the real growth, and the fleets that have entered are themselves positioned for expansion.

China: Robot-Heavy but Hard to Track

China accounts for 375 Radar Score, built almost entirely on 75 larger robots. The preference for heavy-duty machines in metro systems, malls, and industrial settings reflects China’s scale and infrastructure priorities. At the same time, China remains a difficult market to capture in full: several sizeable fleets are suspected but unverified, underlining how data opacity continues to distort the picture compared with North America or Europe.  

India and Vietnam: First Entrants

India debuts in the ranking through Peppermint Robotics, now active at three major airports—Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Ahmedabad—with a total of 9 robots (Radar Score 45). Vietnam also enters with a smaller fleet of 5 robots (Radar Score 25). While modest in scale, these deployments matter: they demonstrate that cleaning robotics is arriving even in lower-cost labor markets and that India, in particular, is not just an adopter but also a supplier of homegrown technology. breaks this pattern. It shows that American retailers are open to alternatives and that the OEM landscape may shift quickly once a new supplier proves itself in one of the large national chains. The question is no longer whether Tennant–Brain Corp can scale, but whether they can defend their dominance as others enter.

Japan: A Culture of Microbots

Japan leads the region with a Radar Score of 795, driven overwhelmingly by FamilyMart’s 300-unit microbot fleet—the largest convenience-store deployment outside North America. The country’s affinity for compact automation is no accident. With dense retail layouts, high customer expectations for cleanliness, and a cultural openness toward miniaturized solutions, microbots have found their most natural foothold in Japan.

Singapore: Public Sector as Growth Engine

Singapore contributes 507 Radar Score with 96 robots and 27 microbots, centered in public infrastructure and education. Fleets at SMRT, universities, and hotels reflect not only market readiness but also deliberate government support. Programs under the National Robotics Programme have pushed automation into public facilities, making Singapore one of the world’s clearest examples of how policy can accelerate adoption.

Regional Contrasts and Outlook

Asia’s fleets reveal a clear split: Japan concentrates on microbots, while Singapore, China, and India scale larger robots. This contrast mirrors regional differences in built environments, customer expectations, and regulatory support. Beyond what is already listed, additional fleets are likely to surface in 2026 from Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, as Biggest Fleet’s newly appointed ambassador will help to identify and verify deployments. Taken together, the region has entered a stage of rapid scaling potential—with established players in retail and public infrastructure and first movers in emerging markets paving the way.

This article is part of the results of The Biggest Fleet 2025. Click here for all results