Rivian R1S and R1T Get a Massive Palms Free Improve and a Smarter Voice Assistant : Automotive Addicts

Automotive

Rivian is about to make the R1S and R1T really feel much more future-proof, and it’s doing it the way in which fashionable EV house owners love: with over-the-air updates. Throughout its first AI and Autonomy Day, Rivian outlined a pair of software program upgrades aimed squarely at on a regular basis comfort. The headline characteristic is an expanded hands-free driving mode for second-generation R1 fashions, which means the refreshed autos launched mid-2024 and later. If in case you have a type of, your truck or SUV is about to achieve entry to a dramatically bigger set of appropriate roads, which ought to make longer journeys and commute responsibility really feel far much less tiring.

The replace arriving this month expands Rivian’s hands-free protection from about 150,000 miles to roughly 3.5 million miles of roadway. Rivian calls it Common Palms Free, and the thought is easy: if the highway has clearly painted lane strains, the system can deal with the steering with out being restricted to freeway-only use. That mentioned, that is nonetheless an SAE Stage 2 setup, so the motive force is liable for paying consideration and being able to take over at any time. Rivian can be treating this as a try-before-you-buy second, with the expanded hands-free functionality provided free by the top of March earlier than it strikes below a paid software program umbrella.

After the introductory window ends, Rivian plans to cost for what it’s calling Autonomy+, priced at $49.99 per thirty days or a $2500 one-time buy. That pricing goes to be the actual dialog starter, as a result of it positions Rivian to hitch the rising checklist of automakers asking prospects to pay for functionality that arrives and improves by software program. Rivian says the bundle will proceed to achieve options by future updates, with point-to-point navigation talked about as a coming attraction. If the enhancements roll out at a gentle tempo and really feel genuinely polished, loads of house owners will see the worth. If not, will probably be a tricky promote, particularly for individuals who already really feel like they purchased a premium car.

Then there’s the second improve, and it is likely to be the one you find yourself utilizing each single day. Within the first half of 2026, Rivian plans to roll out an AI-powered Rivian Assistant to its autos in phases, ultimately reaching each Rivian offered to date. The promise is a extra pure, much less robotic voice expertise that understands how individuals really speak, together with oddly particular requests like making everybody’s seat heat besides the motive force’s. Rivian additionally says the assistant will have the ability to string duties collectively, like constructing a route with espresso stops, texting your ETA, and adjusting plans based mostly on a reply. All of it sounds formidable, and if it really works as easily in the actual world because it does in a demo, it might lastly make voice management really feel like a characteristic you select, not one you tolerate.

Lloyd Tobias is a seasoned automotive journalist and passionate fanatic with over 15 years of expertise immersed on this planet of vehicles. Whether or not it’s exploring the most recent developments in automotive expertise or protecting an in depth pulse on breaking business information, Lloyd brings a pointy perspective and a deep appreciation for all issues automotive. His writing blends technical perception with real-world enthusiasm, making his contributions each informative and fascinating for readers who share his love for the drive. When he’s not behind the keyboard or below the hood, Lloyd enjoys check driving the latest fashions and staying forward of the curve in an ever-evolving automotive panorama.