Tensor Aims to Deliver the Private, Waymo-Style Self-Driving Car
The former robotaxi company plans to begin selling ground-up Level 4 autonomous vehicles to private customers by January 2027.
By Scott Evans
November 28, 2025
The prospect of a truly self-driving car is closer than ever, especially in the realm of autonomous taxis. You can already hail a Waymo in several U.S. cities, a Tesla Robotaxi in Austin, Texas, and a variety of autonomous taxis across China. Now, a former robotaxi operator from China, Tensor, wants to sell you your very own private Waymo—the Tensor Robocar.
A Decade in the Making
Tensor was originally founded in Silicon Valley as AutoX back in 2016, with a focus on developing autonomous commercial vehicles and robotaxis. The company commenced autonomous vehicle testing in both California and China the following year. During the COVID pandemic, AutoX relocated to China full-time, establishing a fleet of over 1,000 autonomous taxis providing rides to the public in five cities.
However, in the past year, the company completely divested from its Chinese operations, citing data privacy concerns, according to head of marketing, Amy Luca. Rebranding as Tensor, the company returned to San Jose, California, and redirected its focus toward producing a truly autonomous vehicle for private customers rather than for corporate fleets.
At its core, the Robocar is a typical EV equipped with a 112-kWh battery and an estimated range of 250 miles. It currently features a single rear motor with unspecified output, and without knowing the curb weight, performance estimates are unavailable. Tensor states that its 845-volt battery pack can fast-charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 20 minutes. The company is also developing an automated charger with a robotic arm designed to plug in the car for you at home.
In the interim, you won’t have to worry about manually opening and closing the doors, as the coach-style, center-closing doors are all powered and equipped with sensors to prevent them from contacting other vehicles or obstacles.
A Genuine Autonomous Vehicle
Tensor markets the Robocar as an SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle, signifying its capability to drive itself without a human occupant, though it retains a steering wheel and pedals for manual operation. In many respects, it closely resembles a Waymo autonomous taxi, with the key difference being that you can own it and park it in your own driveway (or have it park itself).
This level of capability significantly surpasses what Tesla currently offers with its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology. While this is the most advanced system currently available to private buyers in America, it still necessitates a human driver who remains attentive to the road and is prepared to take over at any moment. To achieve its L4 capabilities, Tensor designed the entire vehicle from the ground up as an autonomous platform, rather than modifying an existing vehicle. Development commenced in 2020, shortly after the launch of the autonomous taxi service in China.
Achieving true autonomy requires an extensive array of sensors and substantial computing power. Tensor equips the Robocar with over 100 sensors, including five lidar arrays (one on the roof and four positioned around the front, sides, and rear), 37 cameras, 11 radars, and 10 ultrasonic sensors. The rooftop lidar can detect objects nearly 1,000 feet away, providing 360-degree coverage around the vehicle.
Ensuring the functionality of these sensors involves 30 washer nozzles and 13 mini wipers, along with heating elements to prevent fogging and snow accumulation. Tensor goes a step further than Waymo’s Zeekr-based vehicle by incorporating physical covers that automatically close over the sensors when the vehicle is powered down, safeguarding them from damage and dirt.
These sensors are managed by a massive onboard computer featuring eight Nvidia Drive Thor-X chips, capable of processing 8,000 TOPS (trillion operations per second). Although the car is connected to the cloud, the majority of the computing is performed within the vehicle, enabling it to operate effectively even without a 5G signal. (Not for lack of trying, as the car possesses three redundant communication channels for maximum connectivity.) The Tensor Foundation Model software is AI-based and operates two systems in parallel: one trained by professional drivers and the second utilizing a Visual Language Model (VLM) to address unusual and unexpected edge cases. Tensor asserts that the vehicle can operate in rain and snow, meaning you don’t need to reside in California to utilize it.
Displays located on the lower exterior corners of the vehicle will broadcast simple messages and pictograms to pedestrians, informing them that the car is operating autonomously and can detect them.
Your Car, Your Data
Because all computation is handled onboard, Tensor does not need to collect data from your car. While it is capable of sharing information with the cloud, owners must opt in; otherwise, all your data remains within the vehicle. All data collected by the car on its owner and users can be accessed through the vehicle or the phone app and deleted by the owner. This includes all biometric data, such as facial and palm recognition, which are necessary for operating the vehicle and preventing theft.
Although the vehicle is equipped with interior cameras and microphones to enable driver monitoring during manual driving and allow interaction with the voice assistant, each one features a physical cover and off switches that can be used to disable them.
Communicate with Your Car
You likely won’t want to keep the microphones off all the time, as the intention is for you to converse with your car, literally. The Robocar is equipped with Agentic AI backed by a Large Language Model (LLM) designed to communicate with you in a human-like manner. Instead of issuing commands, you can have a conversation with the car about your desired destination. Similarly, you can summon the car from anywhere by calling or texting it and requesting it to pick you up. It will also learn your habits and, if connected to your calendar, anticipate your upcoming trips and the necessary battery range and any charging requirements.
Drive Yourself, If You Wish
The Robocar is designed for autonomous operation, but it also includes a steering wheel and pedals, allowing you to drive yourself whenever you choose. When operated by a human, it can provide as much or as little assistance as the driver desires, ranging from basic aids like automatic emergency braking to advanced hands-free, eyes-off-the-road Level 3 semi-automated driving.
When you prefer not to drive, switch to autonomous mode, and the steering wheel retracts into the dashboard while the center infotainment screen slides over to conceal it. (The identical passenger screen remains in place.) The accelerator and brake pedals also retract out of the way. If you wish to take control, they all extend back out.
Steering, braking, and acceleration are all managed electronically, without physical connections. Each system, along with all the sensors, incorporates multiple redundancies, ensuring the car continues to operate even if a failure occurs in any of the sensor or drive systems. Rear-wheel steering allows the back tires to pivot up to 7 degrees in either direction, giving the car a claimed turning circle of 37 feet—approximately the same as a Tesla Model Y despite the Tensor being substantially larger.
Should you or the car be involved in a collision, Tensor states it is targeting top crash safety scores from the NHTSA, IIHS, and European NCAP.
Maximize Your Vehicle’s Utility
Tensor has already secured a partnership with Lyft to introduce Robocars as luxury rideshare vehicles, but this doesn’t preclude you from participating in the autonomous mobility market. Remember when Elon Musk suggested you could put your car to work as an autonomous rideshare while you’re at the office or asleep? Tensor is echoing this sentiment, and given the gradual rollout of Tesla’s Robotaxi service, Tensor might achieve this milestone first, although the company has not yet provided details on how hailing and paying for a privately owned autonomous car will function. We assume you will need to utilize an existing platform such as Lyft.
The Cost of This Innovation
Tensor has not yet disclosed the price point, but Luca indicated that customers should anticipate “luxury pricing.” Waymo’s CEO has suggested that its vehicles cost approximately the same as a well-equipped Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which would place the price between $150,000 and $200,000. Given the similarities, we estimate the more complex Tensor will be positioned at the higher end of this range.
Production is being handled by Vietnamese automaker VinFast at its facility in Haiphong, Vietnam. While VinFast vehicles do not yet have a strong reputation for build quality in the U.S. market, it is worth noting that the company has assembled BMWs under license for many years and possesses the expertise to manufacture vehicles. Tensor anticipates production commencing in late 2026, with deliveries beginning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) late in the fourth quarter of the same year. U.S. deliveries are slated to commence in early 2027, pending regulatory approval. The company also has plans for sales in the European Union and recently announced a plan to supply vehicles to a rideshare service in Denmark.
Regarding financial responsibility for tickets incurred while the car is driving itself, it is reasonable to assume that the owner will be responsible.
2027 Tensor Robocar Specifications
BASE PRICE: Expected, estimated
DRIVETRAIN: Rear-motor, RWD, 5-passenger, 4-door, hatchback
MOTOR: N/A electric
TRANSMISSION: 1-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: N/A
WHEELBASE: 124.0 inches
LENGTH × WIDTH
