Former DJI Exec's Autonomous Wheelchair Startup Secures Pre-A+ Funding

While most embodied AI companies are still performing flips on exhibition stages, a startup founded by a former DJI executive has already got users paying for its product — and the conversion rate from test drives is close to 50%.

The company, Strutt, was founded by Hong Xiaoping, former head of DJI's optoelectronics department and the mind behind the world's first mass-produced automotive lidar. It recently completed a Pre-A+ funding round, bringing cumulative funding to nearly $100 million.

The product, Strutt EV1, has started mass production and delivery overseas, and is named Angshou EV1 in China. It plans to enter the Chinese market in the second half of 2026, with test-drive sign-ups already open.

Essentially a wheelchair-shaped L2 autonomous driving device, the EV1 integrates two LiDARs, ten ToF sensors, six ultrasonic sensors, and two cameras. It can intelligently avoid obstacles and navigate to common locations. The automotive-grade four-wheel drive chassis features independent suspension, active steering, and ABS, supporting 13° inclines and adapting to grass, small steps, and gravel roads. Its top speed is 13 km/h with a range of 32 km.

Hong said the EV1 can take over in some scenarios and achieve limited autonomous driving, close to L2 level. "We aim to solve the gap in travel needs from a few hundred meters to a few kilometers," he said. "It resembles a wheelchair but is essentially a combination of a Hummer and a Waymo."

The company's long-term vision extends beyond mobility. Future iterations will add robotic arms to assist users with actions like opening doors, folding clothes, and picking up objects. By starting with high-frequency, essential personal mobility, Strutt aims to create a physical AI terminal that enters real daily life. "Mobility itself is the most fundamental and frequent closed loop for physical AI. The device needs to perceive its environment, understand user intent, make decisions, and then execute actions through the chassis."

Priced at $7,499 overseas and 29,999 yuan domestically, the first delivered customers have a 0% return rate, and the conversion rate from test drive to purchase is nearly 50%.