Universal Hands-Free Is Just the Beginning of Rivian’s 2026 Autonomy Push

Rivian’s 2025.46 software update is less about what just launched and more about what’s coming next. Yes, Gen 2 R1T and R1S owners now have Universal Hands-Free, but this update really feels like the foundation for Rivian’s autonomy push in 2026.

Universal Hands-Free is part of Rivian Autonomy+, which begins charging in February 2026. Pricing will be $49.99 per month or a $2,500 one-time purchase tied to the vehicle’s VIN. The hands-free feature works on supported roads and relies on driver attention monitoring, but it’s only the first piece of the puzzle.

Also included with Autonomy+ is Lane Change on Command, letting your Rivian change lanes for you on the highway when you signal. Then in 2026, things start to get more interesting. Auto Parking is coming, which will allow one-tap parallel and perpendicular parking, and On-Ramp to Off-Ramp support will let the vehicle handle highway driving from the moment you merge until you exit back onto surface streets.

All of this builds on top of the driver assistance features Rivian already includes at no cost, like Adaptive Cruise Control, Highway Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, and Park Assist.

If 2025 was about laying the groundwork, 2026 is shaping up to be the year Rivian really leans into autonomy. Universal Hands-Free is just the starting point.