Abstract: Disclosed is an autonomous vacuum system that detects and responds to obstructions in a cleaning channel of the vacuum. Pressure sensors repeatedly measure pressure at different points in the cleaning channel, and the autonomous vacuum system analyzes the pressure measurements to determine whether an obstruction is likely present. Such a determination may be made based on, e.g., computed pressure differentials across the pressure sensors, and/or pressures of individual pressures sensors. The autonomous vacuum system can respond to the detection of an obstruction by, for example, performing a change in vacuum speed, such as ramping up to or near a maximum speed, and then decreasing again to a more normal speed.