A Rivian software update released today adds a new self-driving system for highways that promises to make long drives and commutes more enjoyable.
Enhanced Highway Assist is free for now, but “down the line, it will be part of Rivian Autonomy Platform+, our future subscription service,” Rivian tells us. It only works on the Gen 2 Rivian R1T and R1S, which came out in June 2024 and feature upgraded hardware and software systems.
Drivers can take their hands off the wheel “for extended periods of time” on 135,000 miles of compatible highways. But they still have to pay attention, which is typical for similar Level 2 autonomous driving systems from Tesla, Ford, GM, and others. An infrared camera embedded in the rearview mirror makes sure the driver is paying attention.
“The system controls steering, acceleration, and braking to make driving a less stressful and more comfortable experience,” Rivian says.
Rivian R1S (Credit: Rivian)
Drivers put the vehicle in self-driving mode by pulling on the gear stalk. It runs an in-house system comprising 11 cameras and five radars, an onboard compute module, and Rivian-trained machine-learning models. The system will keep training as more people use it, “made possible by on-board machine learning perception in addition to HD Maps, which will expand our capabilities over time,” Rivian says.
“This is just the start of what we’re going to see with this growing feature set we’re going to start to see expanding,” CEO RJ Scaringe says in the video below. The company is planning a “dramatic expansion planned over the next year, including off-highway.”
The EV maker has made major investments in its software stack, and is planning to let Volkswagen and VW-backed Scout use it as part of a joint venture.
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Today’s software update also brought other tech improvements to Rivian vehicles. A new “go chime” will alert drivers when the vehicle in front of them starts moving, so they have an “audible cue” when to resume driving at a stoplight or intersection. If drivers forget to close the charge port door, they can do it remotely via a button on the Rivian app. Drivers can also change their wheel type in the Settings menu to get a more accurate range estimate.
A few major performance upgrades also went out, but they only apply to certain vehicle configurations. A new Rally Mode for Performance Dual-Motor vehicles “delivers heightened throttle response and crisper steering on almost any terrain, including ice, mud, dirt, or asphalt.”
Dash screen showing performance software update (Credit: Rivian)
Drivers can also pay $5,000 for a performance upgrade, delivered via software update to Dual-Motor vehicles with a Standard+, Large, and Max battery pack (Gen 1 and Gen 2). It makes the vehicles “instantly quicker, sportier, and more powerful,” Rivian says, though its vehicles are already all of those things. It brings an extra 665 horsepower and 829 lb.-ft. of torque, and introduces three new drive modes—Sport, Rally, and Soft Sand—in addition to All-Purpose, All-Terrain, and Snow modes.
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About Emily Forlini
Senior Reporter
