On Jan. 8, Autoliv and personal autonomous vehicle innovator Tensor jointly announced the world's first foldable steering wheel, developed for the Tensor Robocar — the company's personal self-driving car. The wheel offers two modes: it supports conventional manual driving, and fully retracts when the vehicle is in autonomous operation. The Tensor Robocar is slated for volume production in the second half of 2026.
Image credit: Autoliv
As autonomous driving advances, the traditional steering wheel is beginning to show its limits in the cabin: it can hamper passenger comfort and constrain how interior space is used. Designed to reshape self-driving interiors, the foldable wheel developed by Autoliv and Tensor gives occupants more personalized space and flexibility.
The wheel is deeply integrated with the Tensor Robocar's autonomous system: in Level 4 mode (where the vehicle can complete all driving tasks under defined conditions), it automatically retracts, fully clearing the driver's area.
Coordinated innovation on safety systems is central to the product. Its airbag suite adapts to the driving mode to deliver optimal protection. When the vehicle is in autonomous mode and the wheel is stowed, a passenger airbag integrated into the instrument panel is automatically enabled; switch to manual driving, and the driver airbag becomes active.
Tensor CEO Jay Xiao said: "While full autonomy brings a breakthrough user experience, many users still want manual control in specific scenarios. Our dual-mode foldable wheel blends both advantages and gives users the freedom to choose. Foldable steering wheels used to exist only in concept cars; now we’re bringing this innovation to everyday mass-production models."
The foldable steering wheel made its public debut at Tensor's booth at CES in Las Vegas, held Jan. 6-9, 2026.
