Boston Dynamics rebuilds Stretch with a tougher second generation

Boston Dynamics has introduced Stretch Gen 2, a new version of its robot that unloads boxes from trailers on its own. The company studied what stopped the first model during real work and then redesigned the machine around those failures, according to Humanoid Robotics Technology, which reported the news on 4 November 2026.

The changes include automotive-grade connectors, joints that rotate continuously instead of stopping at a limit, and a gripper with new valves and finer sensing. Internal cabling shrinks by 81 percent, roughly half a mile of wire. The emergency stop is lower and recessed, and tougher panels mean a falling box should rarely set off a false halt. Swapping a full swerve drive now takes about an hour instead of a day.

The robot unloads up to 1,000 cases per hour, depending on case weight and how tidily boxes are stacked. A battery covers two shifts, and the fast charger reaches 90 percent in about 75 minutes. Its vision system recognises most packages without programming, and it works in dark trailers.

Why it matters

Idle machines are costly on a loading dock, so easier repairs and fewer breakdowns may count for more than raw speed. Boston Dynamics has not shared a price, a shipping date or independent uptime figures. Watch for customer results that show whether the promised reliability holds up, and for the software updates the company says will improve the fleet over time.