A few days with iPhone Duo showed me great hardware held back by software that's still struggling, which sounds a lot like Rivian. R2's software is much better than early R1, but mass market buyers won't be as forgiving.
Volkswagen could bring its Xpeng-developed China software to most next-gen VW, Skoda and Cupra models in Europe, according to Reuters. The move threatens to sideline Rivian and its $5.8 billion software partnership with VW.
The R2, Model Y Performance, BMW iX3, and Volvo EX60 all carry separate EPA city and highway range ratings, but the number on every configurator is a blend of the two. Split them apart and the highway figures sit a lot closer to how people drive on the interstate.
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.
