Autowash Wins Emerging Partner of the Year at KUKA Connexions 2026
Nations leading touchless car wash chain honored for innovative robotic car washes
Held in Lake Tahoe, KUKA’s fourth annual Connexions event brought together system partners, integrators, and technology partners from across North America to share ideas, explore new technologies, and discuss the future of automation. For Autowash, it was an opportunity to share how robotics can help rethink an everyday experience: washing your car.
Bringing robotics to vehicle care
Autowash's work with KUKA centers on a simple goal: building a better touch-free wash experience.
The Autowash robotic wash system combines KUKA industrial robots, proprietary 3D vehicle scanning, and intelligent software to adapt the wash process to each vehicle. Rather than following the same fixed path for every car, the system creates a digital model of the vehicle and adjusts the robots’ movements to its shape and features.
That precision allows Autowash to take a more tailored approach to washing, rinsing, and drying while keeping the process touch-free. It also creates opportunities to shorten wash times and use water and energy more efficiently.
For Autowash, technology is a means to improve the experience, not the goal itself. The focus remains on the cars our customers love and making vehicle care more convenient.
A partnership that helps make it possible
Developing a new approach to car washing takes more than equipment. It takes collaboration, problem-solving, and partners willing to explore a different kind of application. KUKA has been an important part of that process, supporting our team as we bring industrial robotics into the car wash environment. In KUKA’s case study on Autowash, co-founder and COO Erin Dreeszen highlighted the importance of that working relationship:
“Most importantly, KUKA was open, receptive, and allowed us to lead the design in terms of exactly what we needed.”
Receiving the Emerging Partner of the Year award is a meaningful moment for the Autowash founders and an opportunity to recognize the people and partnerships behind this work transforming how we look at the process of car washing.
Looking ahead
Autowash is proud of this recognition and grateful to KUKA for bringing together a community that is exploring what automation can make possible.
As development and expansion of the robotic wash technology continues, the company's focus stays the same: putting innovation to work for Autowash customers and the vehicles they care about.
Watch KUKA’s Connexions 2026 highlight video below for a look at the event and the conversations shaping the future of automation.
For more information on Autowash Robotic systems, visit https://www.autowashrobotics.com/ For more information on Autowash Franchise opportunities, visit https://www.autowashfranchise.com/
