CES loves shiny nonsense. This year’s “wait, what?” gadget might also be a real safety story. Autoliv (the folks who brought us the lap/sash seat belt) and Tensor say they built a foldable steering wheel for Tensor’s Robocar. It can retract when the vehicle runs in Level 4 autonomous mode. In plain English, the wheel can disappear when the car drives itself.
That sounds like sci-fi. It also points at a real problem. If the car does the driving, a fixed wheel can become wasted space. In a crash, it can also be something you hit. The industry has to rethink cabins and airbags for a future where the “driver” sometimes becomes a passenger.
Autoliv
Why a Foldable Steering Wheel Isn’t Just a Party Trick
Autoliv says the wheel retracts in Level 4 mode and returns for manual driving. It also says the airbag plan changes with the mode. In autonomous mode, a passenger airbag in the dash takes over. In manual mode, the airbag in the steering wheel takes over. Autoliv claims both setups aim for the same level of protection.
The key is what Level 4 means. NHTSA describes it as high automation in limited areas, where the system handles the driving task and a human driver isn’t needed when the system is engaged. That’s not your daily commute. It’s a mapped, defined-conditions world.
Here’s what makes this more than a gimmick: it forces hard safety questions. The wheel has to lock solid in manual mode. It has to stow safely in autonomous mode. And the restraint system has to know which mode you’re in, every time, with no guesswork.
Autoliv says the Tensor Robocar is expected to be ready for volume production in the second half of 2026. It also says the wheel will be shown at CES in Las Vegas, January 6–9, 2026.
Still, don’t confuse it with consumer self-driving. NHTSA is blunt that higher levels of automation aren’t available for consumer purchase today, per its levels of automation. So keep the right mindset: in anything you can buy right now, you are still the driver.
The takeaway is simple. If cars can switch roles, safety gear has to switch roles, too. A steering wheel that folds away is the visible sign of that shift.
My Verdict
This is the rare CES gadget that isn’t just a gimmick. It’s a preview of how interiors and airbags may adapt once “driver” becomes optional in certain zones. For now, treat it as a glimpse, not a buying signal.
