Rivian Switching from Alexa to Google Gemini - Bringing Voice / Text Integration (reported by RivianTracker)

[CBRacerX]

Amazon fired/reallocated most of Alexa team around 2022/2023. It used to be the best assistant and now, it's the worst.

So I would have heartily agreed with you until a few weeks ago when “Smart Alexa” was turned on for us. It’s worlds better and really quite good now.

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[CrazyOne]

So I would have heartily agreed with you until a few weeks ago when “Smart Alexa” was turned on for us. It’s worlds better and really quite good now.

I am not sure what that is. My Alexa device with a screen and in the Rivian is still bad. Does it require new hardware or is it still being rolled out?

 

[CBRacerX]

I am not sure what that is. My Alexa device with a screen and in the Rivian is still bad. Does it require new hardware or is it still being rolled out?

It’s Alexa+

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-alexa-generative-artificial-intelligence

 

[CrazyOne]

It’s Alexa+

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-alexa-generative-artificial-intelligence

I have prime, but it's likely not enabled yet. I couldn't get it to play a playlist from Amazon music in the last week. It has been having problems with Ring alarm commands in the last few months. This used to work flawlessly. Ring is the only reason I have an Alexa device at home.

It says it's available as subscription or for prime members only.

 

[Ajatshatru]

Seems like we ought to just ask Gemini. Here is what it says:
Gemini Set to Replace Alexa in Rivian, Promising Deeper Integration for All Users
Rivian is preparing to replace Amazon's Alexa with Google's Gemini as the primary voice assistant in its electric vehicles, a move that promises to bring a more integrated and conversational experience for all owners, including those with iPhones. While an official timeline has not been announced, reliable forum data and industry reports suggest the transition is imminent, potentially aligning with the launch of the R2 model or arriving as a future software update for existing R1T and R1S vehicles.
This shift signals a deeper partnership with Google, building upon Rivian's existing use of Google Maps and the Android Automotive foundation of its infotainment system. The integration of Gemini is poised to deliver one of the most requested features from the Rivian community: seamless, hands-free text messaging.
Expected In-Vehicle Enhancements
Once integrated, Gemini will offer a range of in-vehicle capabilities, moving beyond the current Alexa functionalities. Key features to anticipate include:
* Advanced Voice Commands: Expect more natural and conversational control over vehicle functions such as navigation, climate settings, and music playback.
* Seamless Text Messaging: A significant upgrade will be the ability to dictate, send, and have text messages read aloud directly through the vehicle's system via a Bluetooth connection to your phone.
* Smart Home Integration: Gemini will enable robust control over a wide array of smart home devices that are part of the Google Home ecosystem.
* Proactive and Personalized Assistance: Leveraging Google's AI, Gemini could offer proactive suggestions based on your route, calendar, and personal preferences, such as suggesting charging stops or providing traffic updates.
A More Connected Experience Across Your Devices
A major advantage of the switch to Gemini will be its potential for deep integration with a user's existing Google account, making the experience powerful for both Android and iPhone users. The core functionality is built into the vehicle itself and tied to your Google profile, ensuring a consistent experience.
* Synced Information: Information can flow seamlessly between your Rivian and your other devices. For example, a to-do list or a note created by voice in your vehicle could be instantly accessible on your phone through an app like Google Keep.
* Unified Navigation: You could begin planning a route on your phone using Google Maps, and it would be seamlessly available and ready to go in your Rivian's navigation system.
* Consistent AI Assistant: You will have a consistent and familiar AI assistant across all your devices, allowing for a more intuitive and unified user experience. Gemini will learn your preferences from interactions across different platforms, leading to more personalized assistance.
* Integration with Google Workspace: For users of Google's productivity suite, Gemini in your Rivian could access and manage information from your Gmail, Google Calendar, and other Workspace applications, allowing for hands-free productivity while on the go.
What to Expect for iPhone Users
Rivian's decision to forgo Apple CarPlay has been a point of discussion, but the company has maintained its goal is to create a superior, native experience. The move to Gemini is a cornerstone of this strategy, and iPhone users can expect a highly functional and integrated system.
The key to the cross-platform experience lies in the fact that Gemini is a "Google built-in" feature. The intelligence is in the car and the cloud, connected to your Google account, not just projected from your phone.
* Core Functionality via Google Account: By logging into your Google account in the Rivian, you will grant the in-vehicle Gemini access to your personalized data from Google Maps, Calendar, and other Google services, just as an Android user would.
* The Role of the Gemini iOS App: Google offers a dedicated Gemini app for iPhone. While the in-car system will operate independently, this app will be crucial for a seamless out-of-car experience. You can interact with the same AI assistant on your phone as you do in your vehicle, ensuring that reminders, lists, and search history are synchronized.
* Text Messaging Solution: The highly anticipated voice-to-text messaging feature is expected to work directly through the vehicle's Bluetooth connection to your iPhone, a standard and reliable technology used by virtually all modern vehicles for hands-free communication. This means Gemini will be able to read your incoming iMessages and allow you to reply by voice, bypassing the current limitations of the Gemini iOS app itself, which cannot yet send texts on its own.
In essence, while Android users might experience slightly deeper integration in some niche areas, the fundamental and most-used features of the Gemini experience in a Rivian—including advanced navigation, productivity, smart home control, and messaging—are expected to be fully available and robust for iPhone users.

What about YouTube Music? My most desirable feature that pushed me to buy EVPlay!

 

[cwardak]

What does the Tesla do when you tell it “My ass is hot”?

It turns on the seat vent

 

[HaveBlue]

Android Auto which is a subset of what Rivian runs has gotten Gemini and here's an interesting article on what we should expect.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/andro...campaign=newsalerts&zdee=[Contact.email_zdee]

 

[electruck]

Android Auto which is a subset of what Rivian runs has gotten Gemini and here's an interesting article on what we should expect.

Android Auto is not a subset of Android Automotive, it's a completely different product.

 

[VandalSibs]

Android Auto is not a subset of Android Automotive, it's a completely different product.

You beat me to it!

 

[HaveBlue]

Android Auto is not a subset of Android Automotive, it's a completely different product.

It is a subset of features and capability. Integrating Gemini into Android Auto is much less work than integrating it into Android automotive which is why it is appearing first in what is essentially casting from the phone.

 

[Zoidz]

It is a subset of features and capability. Integrating Gemini into Android Auto is much less work than integrating it into Android automotive which is why it is appearing first in what is essentially casting from the phone.

Android Automotive is an operating system. Android Auto is an app. Completely different things.

 

[hudesigns]

Ok let me try this way. Android Auto is a subset of features and capabilities of your android phone that are considered appropriate for use on display in your auto.

 

[electruck]

It is a subset of features and capability. Integrating Gemini into Android Auto is much less work than integrating it into Android automotive which is why it is appearing first in what is essentially casting from the phone.

On the matter of integration effort you are correct - it is indeed much less work for Google to integrate Gemini into a single application than it is for Google to provide the necessary hooks into the Automotive OS and, after that, for Rivian to integrate Gemini into all of the different apps comprising their infotainment and vehicle control systems as they see fit.

The capabilities available in Android Auto are reasonable examples of what Rivian can provide via Gemini but those features will not inherently be available in our Rivians simply because Google has already provided that integration in Android Auto.

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