Rivian has unveiled ambitious plans to enhance the autonomy of its electric vehicles, revealing details during its inaugural “Autonomy & AI Day” in Palo Alto, California. CEO RJ Scaringe emphasized the introduction of advanced hardware, such as lidar technology and custom silicon chips, as fundamental components of this initiative, which may eventually lead Rivian into the self-driving ride-hail market.
The event was a significant moment for Rivian, showcasing its commitment to keeping pace with industry leaders like Tesla, Ford, and General Motors, while also hinting at potential advancements in technology that could set it apart. Rivian is advancing its driver-assistance software to cover over 3.5 million miles of roads across the U.S. and Canada, with plans to extend the capabilities into urban areas featuring clearly marked road lines. This enhanced offering, called “Universal Hands-Free,” is expected to launch in early 2026 for Rivian’s second-generation R1 trucks and SUVs, priced at $2,500 as a one-time fee or $49.99 per month.
Scaringe explained that the new system would allow drivers to input their destination and then relax as the vehicle autonomously navigates to that location, effectively reclaiming their time for other activities like reading or using a mobile device. These efforts are part of a broader vision for a personal Level 4 autonomous driving system, which would require no human input within certain areas.
In addition to focusing on personally owned vehicles, Rivian aims to explore opportunities within the rideshare market. Scaringe remarked on the potential for Rivian to compete with established players like Waymo once they have solidified their offerings in traditional personal vehicle markets.
To support these advancements, Rivian is developing a “large driving model,” moving away from Tesla’s rules-based approach to autonomy. The company showcased a custom 5nm processor designed collaboratively with Arm and TSMC, which will power their next-generation autonomy computer, ACM3. This powerful computer, capable of processing 5 billion pixels per second, is set to debut in Rivian’s affordable R2 SUV, expected to ship in the first half of 2026.
While the initial R2 models won’t feature the ACM3 or lidar sensor, Rivian is committed to continuously enhancing the autonomy of both their current R1 series and future R2 vehicles. Scaringe anticipates that the new hardware suite will allow for significantly improved autonomy, far exceeding the capabilities of existing models.
Adding lidar technology is expected to vastly improve the vehicle’s spatial awareness, allowing for an intricate 3D representation of the environment. James Philbin, the vice president of autonomy and AI, stated that the aim isn’t just to achieve human-level perception but to aspire to superhuman capabilities, thereby redefining standards in the consumer vehicle market.
Rivian’s proactive approach to vehicle autonomy reflects an encouraging step forward in the electrification and automation of transportation, underscoring the company’s ambition to play a pivotal role in the future of mobility.