Boston Dynamics launches Stretch Gen 2 trailer-unloading robot

Boston Dynamics updates Stretch Gen 2 for faster service and higher reliability

The second generation of the trailer-unloading mobile robot adds modular hardware, reduced cabling, a redesigned gripper, and ongoing software upgrades.

AI Newsroom 2 min readPublished on this site: 06 Nov 2026, 23:09Original publication: 06 Nov 2026, 21:34Updated: 07 Nov 2026, 11:08

Illustration of a mobile industrial robot moving boxes onto a conveyor inside a logistics facility

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Image credit: Illustrazione generata con AI / AI-generated illustrationIllustrative image generated with AIAI-generated editorial illustration, labelled

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Confirmed by multiple independent sources

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Three key points

01Rated for up to 1,000 cases per hour, with multipick capability and a battery designed for two shifts.
02Internal cabling was reduced by 81%, alongside a modular design intended to speed component replacement.
03A redesigned compute platform supports regular software updates for vision, motion planning, and pick strategy improvements.

Why this matters · AI editorial analysis, not reported fact

For automation buyers, uptime and serviceability strongly affect total cost of ownership. For fabricators, machine shops, and integrators supporting industrial equipment, modular assemblies, rugged connectors, and onboard diagnostics can lower maintenance time and reduce dependence on outside service teams.

Boston Dynamics has unveiled Stretch Gen 2, the latest version of its autonomous mobile robot for unloading trailers. The company said the new model has been in development for about two and a half years and draws on operating experience from more than 100,000 hours in the field and tens of millions of boxes handled. The stated aim is to increase uptime while making the system easier to maintain and support.

The updated Stretch uses a revised modular architecture intended to allow plug-and-play part replacement. Boston Dynamics said the robot can unload up to 1,000 cases per hour, depending on factors such as box weight and how neatly loads are stacked. It also adds multipick capability, a battery designed to last two shifts, and a fast charger that can reach 90% in about 75 minutes. Onboard lighting and a pre-trained vision system are intended to help operation inside dark trailers without the need for package-specific programming in most cases.

Much of the hardware redesign is centered on durability and downtime reduction. The company said it removed 81% of the internal cabling, roughly half a mile, to reduce weight, cost, and possible failure points. Hyundai reportedly helped source a cable harness through its automotive supply chain. Stretch Gen 2 also uses heavy-duty automotive-grade connectors to better withstand vibration from fast, high-torque box handling and travel over uneven floors. Continuous-rotation joints now move beyond 360 degrees, eliminating hard stops that previously introduced mechanical stress.

Boston Dynamics also reworked the gripper, one of the most heavily loaded parts of the machine. The new design includes updated valve systems and more precise sensing, with each suction cup individually actuated and monitored. According to the company, that enables the robot to pick multiple boxes in a single arm motion, improve conveyor placement, and reduce vacuum power consumption by applying suction only where contact is confirmed.

Serviceability was another major design target. Stretch Gen 2 replaces dynamic cables and complex harnesses with standardized high-strength fasteners intended to cut tool changes and hands-on repair time. As one example, Boston Dynamics said a full swerve-drive swap can now be completed in one hour, compared with a full day previously. The robot also adds onboard diagnostics and maintenance tools so more routine work can be handled by customer maintenance teams.

The onboard computing platform has been redesigned to support ongoing software releases across installed fleets, with updates covering case detection, motion planning, pick strategies, and world modeling without hardware changes. Boston Dynamics said its most recent software update produced a 24% increase in unload rate across its deployed fleet. The company also said Stretch Gen 2 is already operating at multiple customer sites and can be deployed into existing sites within two weeks.