Electrical truck and SUV maker Rivian opened the doorways of its Palo Alto, California, headquarters this week for its Autonomy & AI occasion, giving us a front-row take a look at the corporate’s next-generation driver help tech. It additionally detailed the way it’s utilizing new AI tech to energy future autonomous driving options and the brand new Rivian Assistant voice interface launching on its R1 and R2 EVs subsequent 12 months. I used to be seated up entrance as Rivian’s engineering leaders walked us via a significant evolution within the model’s {hardware} and software program stack — know-how that may form the upcoming R2 SUV and improve right now’s R1 vehicles and SUVs.
Rivian’s new mind: RAP1 and the Gen 3 Autonomy Pc
The powerhouse of Rivian’s next-gen tech technique is its first in-house AI chip: the Rivian Autonomy Processor. This multi-chip module combines processor and reminiscence right into a single package deal, designed from the bottom up for crunching information for synthetic intelligence and autonomous driving duties. The upcoming R2 electrical SUV will use two RAP1 modules inside what Rivian calls its Gen 3 Autonomy Pc. The corporate says the ACM3 is 2.5 instances extra energy-efficient than its present system, which in all probability received’t have a huge effect on vary, however for an EV, each watt saved issues.
The automaker’s new customized {hardware} is claimed to boast four-times extra AI crunching energy than the present chips.
Extra importantly, the brand new silicon is claimed to ship 4 instances the efficiency of the present Gen 2 system, which is a significant enchancment. Rivian says ACM3 will be capable of course of round 5 billion pixels of sensor information per second, which is necessary as a result of the R2 is getting a considerable sensor improve.
Greater than meets the attention: R2’s lidar-powered sensor suite
The large information right here is that Rivian’s R2 era of EV will see a lidar array be a part of the celebration, subtly built-in into the roofline simply above the windshield. Rivian made some extent of noting how its designers had been capable of keep away from the “taxi-cab turret” design seen on automobiles just like the Volvo EX90, sustaining a clear silhouette when considered in profile.
The R2 platform’s 11 cameras may even see decision enhancements, now totaling a mixed 65 megapixels and giving Rivian’s notion stack a lot sharper and extra detailed visible consciousness. 5 redesigned radar items spherical out the package deal. The short-range functionality is reportedly so good that Rivian has eradicated ultrasonic parking sensors solely, a daring transfer and an indication of confidence within the new radar know-how.
By recessing the lidar package deal into the roofline, Rivian avoids the “taxi cab” hump and retains a clean profile.
Rivian’s autonomy roadmap: Arms-off, eyes-off and finally Stage 4
Past the {hardware}, Rivian laid out an formidable autonomy roadmap powered by what it calls its Giant Driving Mannequin, a high-capacity AI mannequin skilled to deal with advanced, real-world driving situations. The title hearkens to its being primarily based on lots of the identical applied sciences, neural networks and coaching patterns as the big language fashions now acquainted to AI chatbots, which seems like a novel strategy to autonomous driving growth. However Rivian assures us that it has positioned security first when constructing the know-how.
The Giant Driving Mannequin will quickly energy Rivian’s Autonomy Plus driver help suite. Launching in early 2026 for present R1 homeowners, Autonomy Plus will increase Rivian’s hands-free driving protection to three.5 million miles of US and Canadian roadways. It’s going to additionally enable hands-free operation on non-highway roads, so long as lane markings are clear.
Pricing is ready at a $2,500 one-time improve or $50 per thirty days for drivers who need to take a look at the waters first.
Rivian’s Common Arms Free driving help is increasing subsequent 12 months to incorporate 3.5 million miles of on- and off-highway roads.
With extra AI processing {hardware} and the additional peace of thoughts supplied by lidar, Rivian says its autonomy roadmap results in full point-to-point hands-free driving for the upcoming R2 EVs, finally evolving to eyes-off driving and in the end to full Level 4 autonomy, the place the car can function independently beneath outlined circumstances.
Rivian Assistant: A brand new AI voice interface with actual functionality
The occasion wasn’t nearly autonomy. Rivian additionally showcased how its new AI {hardware} will increase comfort and dashboard tech within its EVs.
Rivian Assistant is the automaker’s new on-line and offline AI voice assistant designed to grasp pure speech and tie instantly into the car’s apps and companies. In a reside demo, Rivian used Assistant to entry a consumer’s Google Calendar and discover the day’s appointments after which reschedule one of many conferences in actual time. With one other sequence of conversationally spoken instructions, the Rivian then pulled a vacation spot from the appointment, looked for eating places close by after which despatched the highest three eating choices to the assembly attendee, full with an up to date ETA.
Rivian joins the ranks of automakers that supply AI-powered chatbots within the dashboard. Rivian Assistant seems to be promising.
All of it labored with easy, conversational instructions, and if Rivian can keep this degree of integration throughout extra companies, it may change into some of the helpful in-car assistants obtainable.
Rivian Assistant launches early subsequent 12 months on present first- and second-generation R1T and R1S automobiles and can debut natively on the R2 close to the top of 2026.
