Rivian's Autonomy team says the 2026.36 update is why some sunglasses no longer work with Universal Hands-Free. The new model checks whether it can see your eyes, and Rivian estimates fewer than 1% of sunglasses wearers are affected.
Rivian has acquired Third Dimension, a U.K. startup that uses AI to turn images and video into lifelike 3D worlds. The 15-person team is joining Rivian's autonomy group to build simulations from fleet data for driver assistance and the Uber robotaxi program.
Rivian outsold every US EV brand except Tesla in Q3 2026, jumping from sixth to second with an estimated 19,239 sales. It also holds second place year to date, just ahead of Hyundai.
Rivian has used over-the-air updates to add range to the R1 before, including 14 EPA miles on the R1T without touching the hardware. With my R2 struggling on the highway, that history gives owners some reason for optimism.
Rivian's Autonomy Early Access FAQ now spells out that forward collision warnings and collision events factor into who gets picked for Point to Point. Safety is rechecked every 30 days and testers are under an NDA.
Rivian sold an estimated 19,239 vehicles in Q3 2026, up 45.7% while the US EV market fell 39.5%. R2 posted 3,456 deliveries in its first quarter and commercial vans more than tripled.
RJ Scaringe said at TechCrunch Disrupt that Rivian vehicles will eventually run AI agents from outside companies like Anthropic. Anything tied to braking or steering will stay off limits to those agents.
Rivian is rolling out the Autonomy Early Access tile to eligible owners gradually starting October 15. Owners outside California and Florida are encouraged to sign up since interest will shape where Point to Point expands next.
Rivian's new invite-only Autonomy Early Access Program brings Point to Point to select Gen 2 R1 and R2 owners in California and Florida this December. Here's who qualifies and what participants are signing up for.
Doug Field, the engineer behind Tesla's Model 3 and Ford's EV business, is now president of Rivian's robotics spinoff Mind Robotics. He joins a company that's raised over $1 billion in under a year without showing a product.
