MKBHD Interview: Rivian CEO Scaringe Talks R1S and Future of Rivian (R2, Wireless Charging Pad, Camp Kitchen Update, Etc.)

[s4wrxttcs]

My problem isn’t with my expectation, it is others who read it, think it is good grammar and eloquently written so it must have been proofed.

Seriously, I know people that vote based on TV commercials without researching anything to see if it is accurate. I’ve seen commercials in California for propositions that listening to them sounds like voting yes or no is the same result.

My biggest fear with LLM's isn't the hallucinations or how confident they sound, but in who owns this technology.

Sadly what the truth is often comes down to the victor and who is the victor with LLM's? Only very rich and powerful companies. OpenAI is nothing like what it was supposed to be.

Part of what I plan on dabbling with in the near future (the next year or so) is training my own LLM using models that have lower requirements. It will still cost some money, but luckily I work at a place where I might get some support. Or simply work with others with the same idea.

In any case I think an topic specific forum LLM might be a good feature for forum SW. This thread isn't the right place to talk about it, but it has been something I've been thinking about.

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[s4wrxttcs]

Step 1: buy a phone mount
Step 2: place phone on mount
Step 3: use phone as additional screen and “CarPlay”

Step 1, and Step 2 differ depending on how old you are.

20-40 -> buy a phone mount
40-50 -> buy an iPad Mini mount
50-60 -> buy an iPad Mount
60+ -> buy an iPad Pro 12.9"

 

[s4wrxttcs]

Clearly Rivian can support some aspects of what one can get with Carplay without supporting Carplay itself.

Like it would be nice for Rivian to support Apple Music and even to have support for Spatial Music. For times where people want to enjoy some nice music to drown out the hums of charging.

 

[s4wrxttcs]

Let me rephrase. Do you feel that the lack of carplay in the model 3 is a problem?

I'm curious if I can find a Tesla owner who thinks carplay will add features or improve the Tesla user experience.

As a former Tesla owner I'd say the use case is different. With Rivian I feel like I need to use Apple/Google Maps a lot more often in case the Rivian Navigation screwed up. In doing so I noticed that even when the route was the same that Rivian would be way more cynical than Apple or Google Maps for the time of arrival. This was without charging so it was a little weird. I wasn't sure if it was something to report or to simply be amused by. The actual time was often a little over what Apple/Google claimed but way short of what Rivians Nav claimed.

I also feel like I need to use a separate nav option a lot more in the Rivian due to the fact that it's an off-road vehicle, and obviously I'm not going to rely on the Rivian navigation while off-road. Not unless I want to pull all my hair out.

I can't speak to texting/talking/etc because I'm happy with simply using my Apple watch to see any text that comes in, and then getting back to them later.

My biggest gripe for both Tesla and Rivian is they don't give customers an avenue to improve the navigation. They both rely on Open Source data, and yet they don't contribute to trying to improve it. I know that with Rivian at least there is a workaround where you can report the issues to a separate organization and it eventually gets updated in the Rivian. I like that I can do to fix issues I encounter, but it isn't enough.

I think both companies are hesitant in using CarPlay because they don't want to give up control of their own eco-system. Whether it has to do with subscription stuff or with the desire to tailor an experience. Like when pre-conditioning will start before Fast Charging. Where its triggered by how far you are away from a Fast Charger.

 

[s4wrxttcs]

Kinda irritated by how dismissive RJ is of CarPlay and AA. He can still control the user experience with either of those platforms. What he can’t do without them is offer superior navigation options like Waze, OnX, an Gaia. He can’t offer every music platform that many of us want. I’m good with Apple Music, I don’t really want Spotify. Maybe someone else wants Youtube music. Carplay or AA can make that happen. Then, as mentioned by others, Rivian has no capability of handling text messaging. I can’t speak to AA but Carplay handles that extremely well.

While the navigation and music options are getting better, there isn’t any way that Rivian can give use the usability of Waze for years. Right now it does a crap job of traffic reporting. It is only passible at navigation. It certainly can’t tell me there is an accident up the road or a cop hiding somewhere.

At a minimum find a way to offer Waze or other 3rd party apps natively on Rivian. My understanding is that the infotainment is an Android based VM. So that uplift shouldn’t be impossible.

I was a little irritated by the overall softness of the interview. Now I certainly don't expect an interrogation, but at least some hardball questions to represent Rivian owners. Like especially with things like off-road nav. Or the ability to support aspects of carplay (like Apple Music) without having to have carplay.

Personally I think we'll get Apple Music at the very least. If Rivian is good at anything its copying what Tesla has.

 

[SANZC02]

As a former Tesla owner I'd say the use case is different. With Rivian I feel like I need to use Apple/Google Maps a lot more often in case the Rivian Navigation screwed up. In doing so I noticed that even when the route was the same that Rivian would be way more cynical than Apple or Google Maps for the time of arrival. This was without charging so it was a little weird. I wasn't sure if it was something to report or to simply be amused by. The actual time was often a little over what Apple/Google claimed but way short of what Rivians Nav claimed.

I also feel like I need to use a separate nav option a lot more in the Rivian due to the fact that it's an off-road vehicle, and obviously I'm not going to rely on the Rivian navigation while off-road. Not unless I want to pull all my hair out.

I can't speak to texting/talking/etc because I'm happy with simply using my Apple watch to see any text that comes in, and then getting back to them later.

My biggest gripe for both Tesla and Rivian is they don't give customers an avenue to improve the navigation. They both rely on Open Source data, and yet they don't contribute to trying to improve it. I know that with Rivian at least there is a workaround where you can report the issues to a separate organization and it eventually gets updated in the Rivian. I like that I can do to fix issues I encounter, but it isn't enough.

I think both companies are hesitant in using CarPlay because they don't want to give up control of their own eco-system. Whether it has to do with subscription stuff or with the desire to tailor an experience. Like when pre-conditioning will start before Fast Charging. Where its triggered by how far you are away from a Fast Charger.

Interesting, I find the guess-o-meter between my Model S and R1S are pretty close in time of arrival but the R1S seems way more accurate for the miles left on arrival.

 

[mmiles2012]

At a minimum find a way to offer Waze or other 3rd party apps natively on Rivian. My understanding is that the infotainment is an Android based VM. So that uplift shouldn’t be impossible.

This. Rivian is using Android for Automotive to the best of my knowledge, and the platform doesn’t (yet) support CarPlay or AA. But there should be some future deeper integrations with phones that the platform can/should do to replicate functionality of CP/AA so they feel less needed.

 

[snomad]

aww shit RJ and I have the same watch/band. We're like brothers now

Which watch base is this? I'm not seeing it in the watch face gallery.

 

[COdogman]

Clearly Rivian can support some aspects of what one can get with Carplay without supporting Carplay itself.

Like it would be nice for Rivian to support Apple Music and even to have support for Spatial Music. For times where people want to enjoy some nice music to drown out the hums of charging.

Oh I agree. And I think that may be the route they go. I am ambivalent on the AA/CP issue although I think Rivian should do it just to make their customers happy since it doesn’t cost them anything. If Rivian wants to quiet the crowd on this it would be in their interest to start adding more apps and options ASAP and try to show people they can provide a good experience. The longer this goes, the harder it will be for them to keep the gates closed

 

[zipzag]

Which watch base is this? I'm not seeing it in the watch face gallery.

yellow is in the 49mm gallery

 

[ssincl3]

I don’t know what I’m talking about….but I’ll say with confidence that Rivian did not build the hardware function in the vehicle to support AC/AA. The usb ports they have in there don’t connect to the UI hence it cannot transfer any info to the vehicle. My Audi would tell me my phone batt is low or if I left the phone inside when it’s plugged in. All Rivian has is Bluetooth from an external source, and I don’t know/believe that’s how AC/AA is done wirelessly either. So even if they wanted to adopt it they couldn’t without making a small retrofit. …Or maybe they just want to secure their UI to force future subscriptions.

 

[TexasBob]

This. Rivian is using Android for Automotive to the best of my knowledge, and the platform doesn’t (yet) support CarPlay or AA. But there should be some future deeper integrations with phones that the platform can/should do to replicate functionality of CP/AA so they feel less needed.

Yes, Android Automotive OS supports both CP and AA. It is implemented in the Polestar and a bunch of other vehicles. Rivian is choosing not to do this. Same with GM (also using AAOS) and Fisker (also AAOS).

 

[DuoRivians]

So… switching topics, how can we sign up to beta test the new charging pad?

 

[SeaGeo]

I’m picking up my truck mañana from a service appointment and will ask if this is covered under warranty— the redesign and RJ’s comments prove it doesn’t function correctly.

No it doesn't. It means it's annoying to use and doesn't function as well as they would like from a user experience standpoint. It does still function though. Will they offer an upgrade path for a small fee? I wouldn't be surprised if they do. But they shouldn't warranty it.

 

[goldburger]

No it doesn't. It means it's annoying to use and doesn't function as well as they would like from a user experience standpoint. It does still function though. Will they offer an upgrade path for a small fee? I wouldn't be surprised if they do. But they shouldn't warranty it.

RJ specifically specially mentioned the design of the coils as well as the rubber mat. My tonneau works just about as well as the induction charger and it’s still gonna be replaced under warranty, Same logic applies, IMO. Just a guess tho!

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