Automotive safety supplier Autoliv and autonomous vehicle developer Tensor have jointly developed a foldable steering wheel designed for use in personal autonomous vehicles, the companies said, as they seek to balance manual control with higher levels of automated driving.
The retractable steering wheel is intended for Tensor’s upcoming Robocar and allows the steering column to fold away completely when the vehicle operates in Level 4 autonomous mode, freeing up cabin space and enabling a more flexible interior layout. The companies said volume production is planned for the second half of 2026.
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The system is paired with an adaptive airbag configuration that changes depending on the driving mode. When the vehicle is in autonomous operation and the steering wheel is retracted, the primary airbag deploys from the instrument panel. During manual driving, the airbag housed in the steering wheel is active, aligning safety functions with the vehicle’s control state.
“By rethinking the steering wheel as a dynamic component rather than a fixed structure, we can support both automated driving and traditional control without compromising safety,” Autoliv said in a statement describing the project.
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Tensor said the Robocar is designed to operate across autonomy levels from Level 0 to Level 4, allowing drivers to switch between hands-on driving and fully automated operation. The foldable steering wheel is intended to support that transition by removing a physical barrier in the cabin during autonomous use, while remaining immediately available when manual control is required.
The technology is expected to be shown publicly at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where automakers and suppliers are presenting concepts aimed at future vehicle interiors and autonomous driving architectures.