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Jose Castillo Founder and Editor
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Jose Castillo is the founder and editor of RivianTrackr, an independent publication he started to cover Rivian from an owner's point of view. He has followed the company since early in its consumer history and has owned and leased several Rivians over the years, including multiple R1T and R1S vehicles. Today he drives an R1S and an R2 in Florida and uses Universal Hands-Free for his daily driving.

Most of his coverage comes from firsthand access rather than press releases. He was at the R2 First Drive in Park City for hands-on time with the production R2 and RivianOS 2.0, and he reported from SXSW when Rivian revealed the full R2 lineup. He has spoken directly with Rivian leaders like Wassym Bensaid and James Philbin about where the company is taking its software and autonomy work.

Before RivianTrackr, Jose worked at Apple as a software developer, which is part of why he follows Rivian's software and autonomy side as closely as he does. He has also helped more than 400 people order their own Rivians through the site. The whole thing stays independent, written by an owner for other owners.

Rivian Snow

Rivian’s Young Driver Assist Stack Impresses in Winter Conditions

A short clip shared by Scot from Out of Spec shows a Rivian confidently handling lane centering and a lane change in snowy conditions. While Tesla has spent years refining its system with millions of vehicles on the road, Rivian has only been at this for months, making the steady, composed behavior especially notable.

Rivian R2 MVB

Don’t Expect Leasing When Rivian R2 Launches

Rivian may not offer leasing when the R2 launches, and history suggests that should not come as a surprise. Leasing was not available at R1 launch and still is not offered in every state or in Canada today.

R1S Driving

Tesla Just Gave Up on Drivers and Handed Rivian an Opening

Tesla’s decision to walk away from the Model S and Model X is more than a product shuffle, it is a clear signal of where the company is headed. As Tesla doubles down on autonomy, Robotaxi, and AI, it is leaving behind a segment of drivers who still value the act of driving itself. That shift creates an opening for brands like Rivian and others to step in, building vehicles for people who want control, engagement, and choice, not just a ride from point A to point B.

Rivian R2 Silver Prototype

Rivian’s Next Big Challenge Isn’t Hardware, It’s Software Segmentation

As Rivian prepares to launch R2, the company is facing a challenge that goes far beyond new hardware. Supporting Gen 1, Gen 2, and an entirely new platform at the same time forces Rivian to confront how it manages software at scale. The Gen 2 transition already showed how difficult fragmented updates can be, and R2 raises the stakes even higher. How Rivian handles software segmentation next may determine how fast the company can innovate without leaving owners behind.

Rivian Green by Pantone

Rivian Partners With Pantone to Define Its Signature Green

Rivian has officially partnered with Pantone to standardize Rivian Green, the signature color that grew out of early R1 production and became a core part of the brand’s identity. By locking in this nuanced green across vehicles, materials, and digital experiences, Rivian is ensuring its design language scales with the same precision as its engineering.