Rivian's software and autonomy leads jumped into a Reddit AMA and ended up spilling more concrete R2 detail than we've gotten in a while. Wassym handled most of it, with James stepping in for the self driving questions. From point to point autonomy timelines and the edge compute bet to the heat pump, the charging mat retrofit, and why the premium audio actually works, here's everything worth knowing.
Rivian's autonomy lead James jumped into today's R2 Reddit AMA and laid out the self-driving roadmap, and the big takeaway is that R2 Performance Launch Package buyers get Autonomy+ bundled in for the life of the car. He also broke down the point-to-point timeline, the stoplight and stop-sign updates coming in the next few months, and why Gen 1 owners shouldn't sweat the LiDAR question.
Rivian is exploring a way to manufacture its own lidar sensors in the United States, possibly through a joint venture using Chinese technology. If the plan lands, the R2 would become the first mass-market American EV fitted with a domestically built lidar unit, and it would mark another step in Rivian's push to bring more of its critical tech stack in-house.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe sat down with Yahoo Finance for an exclusive interview breaking down the $1.25 billion Uber robotaxi deal and why autonomous software, not just vehicles, is the real business Rivian is building toward.
Rivian’s 2026.03 update officially introduces Autonomy+, marking the transition of advanced hands free driving features into a subscription service while keeping all core safety systems standard and free for owners.
Rivian is officially putting hands-free driving behind a paywall. Universal Hands-Free is now part of the paid Autonomy+ package, with existing owners getting a limited free trial through April before subscriptions kick in. After that, drivers can choose between a $49.99 monthly fee or a $2,500 one-time purchase tied to the vehicle’s VIN, signaling a clear shift toward paid software features.
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.
Autonomy is one of the most overused words in the auto industry. Brands throw it around like it is a single feature…
Rivian made a big decision when it chose to build its own autonomy stack instead of buying something off the shelf from NVIDIA.…
Universal Hands-Free is Rivian’s most advanced hands free driving system yet, and in this video, Mike (aka u/mpshizzle on Reddit) takes a…
