Entertainment System

[Baloo88]

This past weekend I found my way up the coast to Venice Beach. Overall it was a very rewarding visit. The staff is incredible, the concept and layout were great. It was great to see the real live R1T. For the most part I was extremely satisfied but I did have a couple of concerns. The biggest is the lack of SiriusXM. Since I got Sirius years ago I have never listened to anything else in my car. The fact that it is not included in the entertainment system is really disappointing. I also had concerns about the fit and finish of the tailgate. The plastic liner seemed like it didn't fit right and the flap to cover the gap between the bed and the tailgate seemed really flimsy. I really question the durability of that tailgate setup. I want to give the Venice Beach staff, great job but RJ please listen to the many calls for SiriusXM.

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[SeaGeo]

This past weekend I found my way up the coast to Venice Beach. Overall it was a very rewarding visit. The staff is incredible, the concept and layout were great. It was great to see the real live R1T. For the most part I was extremely satisfied but I did have a couple of concerns. The biggest is the lack of SiriusXM. Since I got Sirius years ago I have never listened to anything else in my car. The fact that it is not included in the entertainment system is really disappointing. I also had concerns about the fit and finish of the tailgate. The plastic liner seemed like it didn't fit right and the flap to cover the gap between the bed and the tailgate seemed really flimsy. I really question the durability of that tailgate setup. I want to give the Venice Beach staff, great job but RJ please listen to the many calls for SiriusXM.

Maybe Sirius makes it's way into the 2023 model. I personally don't want it, but I get why people do.

 

[Diddy123]

Maybe Sirius makes it's way into the 2023 model. I personally don't want it, but I get why people do.

You are not allowed to personally want one thing while simultaneously understanding the reason for an opposing viewpoint while on this forum. I thought that was understood.

How dare you.

 

[crashmtb]

You are not allowed to personally want one thing while simultaneously understanding the reason for an opposing viewpoint while on this forum. I thought that was understood.

How dare you.

Fear not, I have reported that post for being constructive

 

[camaroz1985]

I too hope for XM to be added at some point. I most likely will have a 2023 MY, so I can hope (though not holding my breath). It's not a make or break thing for me, but it would be disappointing if it wasn't available in some form (I know you can use the app and stream via bluetooth, but that kind of defeats the purpose of satellite radio). I totally understand people not needing it or wanting it, and good thing is you wouldn't be forced to use it. At the same time I can understand not wanting to pay for a feature that you aren't going to use.

 

[electruck]

I know you can use the app and stream via bluetooth

FYI, I actually gave that a try over the weekend and it is absolutely not a viable option. There was no way to change stations using the vehicle's media controls - this could only be accomplished by interacting directly with the app running on my phone which is not something that can, or should, be done while driving. The vehicles play/pause button worked as expected but next/prev controls did nothing except result in an error from the app that you can't skip tracks in a live stream.

 

[lefkonj]

Doesn't Sirius have a phone app? if so couldn't you stream that through the bluetooth to the entertainment system?

While it is cool it has Spotify integration, my stream from the phone might be preferred.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Doesn't Sirius have a phone app? if so couldn't you stream that through the bluetooth to the entertainment system?

It's a terrible experience, and I don't think it would meet the needs of most people who want SiriusXM support.

First of all, it requires a reliable data connection -- something that you may not have if on a trip or out "adventuring". Secondly, not everyone has (or wants) unlimited data. And lastly, the interface is subpar. You must use the phone screen to change channels -- the back/forward controls on the steering wheel do not work with the SiriusXM app.

 

[camaroz1985]

Doesn't Sirius have a phone app? if so couldn't you stream that through the bluetooth to the entertainment system?

While it is cool it has Spotify integration, my stream from the phone might be preferred.

Yes, but see below. Also the point of having Satellite radio is often it is available in places where there is limited or no cellular connection.

FYI, I actually gave that a try over the weekend and it is absolutely not a viable option. There was no way to change stations using the vehicle's media controls - this could only be accomplished by interacting directly with the app running on my phone which is not something that can, or should, be done while driving. The vehicles play/pause button worked as expected but next/prev controls did nothing except result in an error from the app that you can't skip tracks in a live stream.

I have done this on my current car (2014 Volt). Not ideal, but if you want to listen to just one station, which is what I usually do, it works.

I guess we could always add on one of the SiriusXM in car radios. The one can transmit through bluetooth (but then you couldn't have you phone hooked up, CS claims you can't have more than one bluetooth connection at a time), or through a built in FM transmitter. I just hate the idea of having to tack on something extra into what should be a clean, modern vehicle.

Like I said it isn't the end of the world to me, we use Spotify a lot as well, but I do like some of the SiriusXM programming.

 

[electruck]

FWIW, Polestar 2 just got SiriusXM with the P1.7 OTA update. This doesn't mean Rivian will do the same but we can hope.

https://insideevs.com/features/543641/polestar2-ota-update-preheating-battery/

(Not entertainment related but the release also included some other nice updates such as improved battery preheating yielding better DCFC rates in cold weather.)

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

FWIW, Polestar 2 just got SiriusXM with the P1.7 OTA update. This doesn't mean Rivian will do the same but we can hope.

https://insideevs.com/features/543641/polestar2-ota-update-preheating-battery/

(Not entertainment related but the release also included some other nice updates such as improved battery preheating yielding better DCFC rates in cold weather.)

Volvo and Polestar were always planning on including SiriusXM and they were including the necessary hardware in the vehicles. The software wasn't ready yet, so vehicles were delivered without it, and the 1.7 OTA update now includes the software to enable the functionality.

If Rivian is not including the SiriusXM hardware (I haven't seen any indication that they do) then no OTA update can add this functionality.

 

[electruck]

Volvo and Polestar were always planning on including SiriusXM and they were including the necessary hardware in the vehicles. The software wasn't ready yet, so vehicles were delivered without it, and the 1.7 OTA update now includes the software to enable the functionality.

If Rivian is not including the SiriusXM hardware (I haven't seen any indication that they do) then no OTA update can add this functionality.

Absolutely correct. Rivian has not stated whether the hardware is present or not so we can only wait and wonder. It would surprise me if the Meridian gear didn't include the tuner but I am often surprised by things.

 

[staples]

What if they OTA teleport the appropriate hardware into place along with the software? We can't be that far away from a Star Wars future.

 

[electruck]

What if they OTA teleport the appropriate hardware into place along with the software? We can't be that far away from a Star Wars future.

Probably a lot closer to it being handled as a retrofit the same way Tesla handled HomeLink for M3/Y.

 

[Toadkillerdog]

not having Sirius xm and apple CarPlay is not a deal breaker for me but IS a very serious disappointment. As people have said, streaming apple Music from phone over Bluetooth is far more cumbersome than native carplay application not to mention loss of all those useful apps I prefer over the Rivian interface.. streaming Sirius xm over app via bluetooth is so cumbersome compared to native infotainment implementation it becomes too cumbersome to enjoy in my opinion. I get that people don’t like Sirius xm but I like the variety of channels and the quick way I can go back and forth between favorite channels when it is implemented directly into system on car. i Will probably implement and use Spotify but it is still disappointing and I like to choose my infotainment and don’t like being forced down the Spotify path and only Bluetooth over phone as an alternative.

I feel like rivian Is a decade behind here on infotainment choices. To me it is about having ALL these choices available that distinguishes a good infotainment system in a car from a mediocre one. I think right now the Rivian infotainment system other than big beautiful landscape screen is mediocre but acceptable to me. I hope they reconsider and will be delighted if they add these choices later. i think you need a satellite antenna built in for Sirius xm so don’t know how they will fix that.

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