Rivian has announced a new tech platform that will power current and future cars and be rolled out to existing customers beginning in the first quarter of 2026.
Why does this matter? There is a whole lot of really great technology here, but the long and short of it is this: The infotainment system can be operated using natural language commands, rather than having to swipe and tap across various systems and screens. They’re calling it Rivian Assistant.
Pranil Vora, senior manager of AI platforms, demonstrated it for me, and I must say it’s a lot more natural an interaction.
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This is a huge leap forward in usability and addresses one of the main complaints we hear from drivers – it lets you keep your eyes on the road while controlling most of a car’s entertainment and climate functions.
Several automakers have previewed similar systems, but Rivian is the first to put one to the test in front of a group of journalists.
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The Rivian Assistant will have two tiers. The free version will include all functions that are controlled within the vehicle’s computer, including the native navigation system. For any commands or functions that require cloud computing, you will need to subscribe to Rivian Connectivity Plus. Rivian will charge $49.99/month for the system. If you want to pay for the software upgrade in one go, it’s $2,500.
If you plan to own your Rivian for more than 50 months and can afford it, the one-time payment is less expensive over time. Otherwise, the monthly subscription is both more cashflow-friendly and will cost less.
Cox Automotive, parent company of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, is a minority investor in Rivian.
