Rivian Delivery Vans Under U.S. Safety Investigation for Seat Belt Issues

Federal regulators are taking a closer look at Rivian’s electric delivery vans after concerns surfaced about the reliability of their seat belt systems. The U.S. Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) confirmed Wednesday that it has launched a preliminary evaluation into the issue.

According to ODI, the investigation covers about 17,198 vans built between 2022 and 2023. Regulators say they’ve received six reports of failures involving the driver’s front outboard seat belt anchorage system. In several of those cases, the braided steel cable that secures the belt reportedly frayed or even broke, which could leave a driver unrestrained in the event of a crash.

The evaluation will focus on the integrity of the seat belt assembly itself, how it was installed, and whether there are any design or manufacturing changes that might be tied to the issue. At this stage, it’s not yet a recall, but the agency is working to determine the scope of the problem and whether Rivian will need to take corrective action.

Rivian’s electric vans are a critical piece of its business, especially with Amazon as its anchor fleet customer. Any safety concerns around such a widely used product will be closely watched, both by regulators and by companies relying on these vehicles for their daily operations.

We’ll keep tracking updates as this investigation develops.