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Rivian Names Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV as Official Winter Tire for R1T and R1S
Rivian has officially named the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV as the official winter tire for the R1 platform in North America, which is a pretty big nod for a tire many Rivian owners were already looking at. The tire is now available directly through the Rivian Gear Shop, with installation handled through select Rivian service centers. Also as a reminder, you can use Rivian Rewards points to pay for your new tires. The Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV is a non…

Rivian Strengthens Georgia Ties With $450,000 in Scholarships, Training, and STEM Support
Rivian is doubling down on Georgia, not just with factories, but by investing directly in people. Through new partnerships across the state, Rivian is helping build a local pipeline of engineers, technicians, veterans, and young innovators who will shape the future of electric mobility. At Georgia Tech, the new Rivian Scholars program will provide $150,000 over three years in tuition support for juniors studying mechanical and electrical engineering, specifically targeting students from top engineering schools to keep talent in Georgia.…

Rivian Universal Hands-Free Is Rolling Out in 2025.46, What It Can and Can’t Do
Rivian’s Universal Hands-Free is officially rolling out starting today as part of the 2025.46 software update for Gen 2 R1T and R1S. Universal Hands-Free lets you drive without your hands on the steering wheel for extended periods, as long as you’re paying attention and looking at the road. This is not full self-driving, and Rivian is very clear about that, but it is a meaningful step forward compared to traditional lane centering. According to Rivian, Universal Hands-Free now works on…

Video – Rivian Unlocks Hands Free Driving and Digital Key in 2025.46 Update
Rivian just rolled out a huge December software update, and if you own a Gen 2 vehicle, this one is packed with good stuff. The headline feature is Universal Hands-Free, which enables hands-free driving across more than 3.5 million miles of roads in North America. You also get Digital Key with Ultra-Wideband support, plus new Driver Display customization options including a full map view and a dedicated Autonomy view. I was able to get early access to 2025.46 and spent…

Clearing Up the Confusion Around Rivian R2 and LiDAR
There’s been a lot of mixed messaging and confusion around how Rivian plans to launch R2, so I want to clearly lay out what we know today and how this rollout is actually going to work. Rivian will launch R2 in early 2026 with Gen 2 autonomy hardware. This is the same autonomy stack that’s currently shipping in today’s Gen 2 R1T and R1S. That means cameras and radar only, no LiDAR, and no next-generation Rivian silicon at launch. Early…
