Rivian CEO: "We’re really convicted" about skipping CarPlay (The Verge interview 10/6/25))

[elektrode]

Not that I really care about this, but he does say in the interview that texting is coming s00n:

I don’t believe him.

I may be mistaken, but wasn’t it coming s00n TWO YEARS ago?

Yeah, TWO YEARS ago Wassym says it’s a priority feature. T.w.o.y.e.a.r.s.

7min into this video: https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...stant-video-entertainment-dashcam-more.14717/

How can this be that hard?

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[Dark-Fx]

I don’t believe him.

I may be mistaken, but wasn’t it coming s00n TWO YEARS ago?

Yeah, TWO YEARS ago Wassym says it’s a priority feature. T.w.o.y.e.a.r.s.

7min into this video: https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...stant-video-entertainment-dashcam-more.14717/

How can this be that hard?

Because Rivian is still tuning their AI assistant and that's going to be what does the speech to text. I anticipate them completely replacing Alexa, especially since Amazon has reduced their focus on it.

 

[jfoonly]

So piece by piece, everything that someone may have missed from their CarPlay experience, whether it was a mapping, or soon we’re going to have a voice-to-text, is going to be there, and it’ll be beautiful.

I don’t believe him.

I can't wait for the concomitant center screen delays to go from 5-10s to a minute. Strike that, it won't come to Gen1 so I won't notice.

 

[Ecupip]

Because Rivian is still tuning their AI assistant and that's going to be what does the speech to text. I anticipate them completely replacing Alexa, especially since Amazon has reduced their focus on it.

Alexa has vastly improved with their new Alexa+. I hope Rivian allows Alexa+ to be integrated and does not abandon Alexa altogether. If they do, my updates will end there. I used it heavily with all of our smart home equipment.

 

[captainjp]

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Electric-vehicle maker Rivian (RIVN.O), opens new tab plans to launch its advanced hands-free driver assistance systems in 2025 and its "eyes-off" systems in 2026, CEO RJ Scaringe said on Thursday."

So far, they’ve delivered on this. Don’t know why you’re citing this quote.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Alexa has vastly improved with their new Alexa+. I hope Rivian allows Alexa+ to be integrated and does not abandon Alexa altogether. If they do, my updates will end there. I used it heavily with all of our smart home equipment.

You are probably in a very small minority that would consider that.

 

[Zoidz]

CarPlay? Rivian Self Driving?

 

[risingphoenix]

I am now happy and satisfied that I now have the evplay device. I offroad a lot and having Trail Off-road/Gaia/OnX is absolutely critical. So I find it humorous that so many on this thread never off-road in a purposed vehicle and think no one else would need CarPlay. To those that think they know what’s best for me and my vehicle I salute you. And by salute, I mean give you the finger.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I am now happy and satisfied that I now have the evplay device. I offroad a lot and having Trail Off-road/Gaia/OnX is absolutely critical. So I find it humorous that so many on this thread never off-road in a purposed vehicle and think no one else would need CarPlay. To those that think they know what’s best for me and my vehicle I salute you. And by salute, I mean give you the finger.

Thank you for the Rivian Wave.

 

[jfoonly]

I am now happy and satisfied that I now have the evplay device. I offroad a lot and having Trail Off-road/Gaia/OnX is absolutely critical. So I find it humorous that so many on this thread never off-road in a purposed vehicle and think no one else would need CarPlay. (harsher comments elided)

I've been using my smaller handheld AOSP device (aka "phone") with downloaded openstreetmaps and gpx files. Too bad we can't see even a tenths-mile odometer in off-road modes.

 

[KBabione]

I've installed the EVPlay unit and it works really well, but I've found that literally the ONLY CP feature I use on it is Waze (I don't read/listen or reply to texts while driving) and even then only on long trips. I just bought the GPS puck from EVPlay and will install it and will then use Waze directly on the EVPlay device and will skip the CP experience entirely. My wife and I have been frustrated too many times while on longer trips where CP connects to her phone first because she's the first to return to the car - and it's been a pain to get it to switch to my phone. Going directly to Waze will eliminate that.

 

[tpberding]

https://www.theverge.com/podcast/790685/rivian-ceo-rj-scaringe-r2-tariffs-china-ev-apple-carplay

Let the fireworks resume

I've had CarPlay in at least three vehicles over the past five years. We still have it in our Macan. I live in the Apple universe — Macs, watches, phones, and TV. But I don't miss it in my R1S. It's one less screen layer that I have to deal with, and Rivian's totally integrated system does everything we need.

 

[RedCanyon]

RJ is right, the Rivian experience will eventually surpass CarPlay and be much more valuable for Rivian and as he said if he's okay with losing some sales of CarPlay hardliners because of it. Really this whole thing is moot anyways now that EVPlay exists. Just buy one of those and get your CarPlay if you really want it.

... unless you drive a Series 1... then you are going to watch as the Rivian ecosystem advances while you don't get to experience those advancements or CarPlay.

 

[risingphoenix]

... unless you drive a Series 1... then you are going to watch as the Rivian ecosystem advances while you don't get to experience those advancements or CarPlay.

Huh??
Evplay is fine on Gen 1.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

... unless you drive a Series 1... then you are going to watch as the Rivian ecosystem advances while you don't get to experience those advancements or CarPlay.

I'm sure Gen 1 is getting texting and whatnot. They just aren't getting ADAS updates. Fortunately for you, you could buy a Comma and fix that problem too.

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