Hands Free!

[bfilippo]

Finally got a chance to try out the new feature in a round trip from Maine to Boston. I have always been a bit nervous to use anything like this, but it was a tremendous relief being able to on the very long drive back after Boston traffic into the late evening. Worked incredibly well, and I love my truck even more than before. I wish it worked on smaller highways, of course, but the leap in tech in such a short time validates my confidence in the overhaul of computational power in the Gen2 when I was deciding. I love our LE R1S as well, even if it won’t ever get this, and honestly my partner would never use this feature because she thinks it’s crazy (still not sure I disagree).

Anyway, I just wanted to share a very positive experience, coupled with a Chelsea SC appointment where they did an adjustment to my hood panel (which my mobile tech noticed last time and I didn’t even notice) and touched up some scratches in less than 24 hours so I could take my truck after one night in Boston for work. This is the second time they’ve accommodated this for me.

They even got me an entirely new roof panel to address some wind noise that’s assigned to my VIN and I’ll schedule for the next time I need to go down there. It’s not terrible but I think it could be better and they took action without my having to convince them.

On my way home it really felt like I was in “the future” with the hands free. Well done Rivian.

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[therealcmj]

When I bought the truck in September I said (here in fact) that the Rivian ADAS compared quite poorly to the 6 year old Volvo XC40's highway assist that the Rivian replaced. And that I hoped it would improve quickly. And it has.

I drove from Boston to Florida in Jan and then back in March. The Jan trip happened on a 2024.x software version and the trip back just after I got the first 2025 software. I used the highway assist extensively (and almost continuously) in both direction. I would say that it was very good going down and great coming back. Not perfect, but great.

So credit where credit is due - Rivian is making good progress!

 

[bigsky]

Musk has real things to concern himself with.

FSD on my Tesla will pull out of my driveway, go down the road, stop at entrance gate waiting for it to open, goes right on through when it does, and takes me to my destination using any and all roads even back roads with no lane markings, all the while I am sitting in the car not knowing what to do with my hands.

Translation: Rivian ADAS is light years behind Tesla FSD even though the latter still is far from pefect.

 

[bfilippo]

I had a Tesla before this, but never personally trusted using the FSD here in rural Maine.

 

[bigsky]

I had a Tesla before this, but never personally trusted using the FSD here in rural Maine.

But that is your personal opinion and feelings, perhaps, or maybe you can elaborate on factual FSD evidence that caused you to feel that way.

For me is not a matter of trusting or not. I simply have learned by now potential FSD shortcomings should I need to intervene or not.

 

[DayTripping]

But that is your personal opinion and feelings, perhaps, or maybe you can elaborate on factual FSD evidence that caused you to feel that way.

For me is not a matter of trusting or not. I simply have learned by now potential FSD shortcomings should I need to intervene or not.

Put me on the side of begrudgingly finally appreciating FSD more. I still think it was a mistake to go vision only but for 90% of the weather conditions I deal with it works very well. It has improved a lot over the last 3 years on both my 3 and S even running HW3.

I didn't appreciate it as much until I drove Gens 1 & 2 Rivians last year. I haven't driven a Gen 2 since the most recent updates so hopefully it is better than how almost useless it was before. Gen 1 was pretty much worthless, but I've been using Comma.Ai now for over 1k miles and it meets 90% of what I need. It offered hands-free before Rivian did with the G2 trucks. It pretty much works anywhere. Previously, they offered navigation and that may return. Honestly, I don't need that but sometimes it is nice.

I am curious to see how much Rivian charges for the new Gen 2 system. We'll see if people like it enough to pay for it.

 

[bfilippo]

Just to clarify, the cameras were constantly “blocked” on my Model Y because it’s dark, raining or snowing here so often for half or more of the year, did not seem like a reliable option. Maybe in a place like Florida, Texas or California, where the car seemed most suited to operate.

The Gen2 update is an enormous improvement, having driven it before the update, it’s a major shift only a few months later. Seems pretty promising to me.

 

[bigsky]

Now, yours is a very objective and impartial evaluation of FSD. Many out there have taken the zero-sum game, the binary option about FSD. It either is level 5 as promised or it is a piece of worthless crap. Complete nonsense.
I frankly do not believe that even FSD will be level 5 in my lifetime. A true ADAS level 5 for me will be one that can drive me around for example in the winter and smartly navigate around all the potholes. Nothing out there comes even close to that.
I do not mind or necessarily care whether Rivian ever gets to even the level of FSD. I started using TACC and find it fine. Tried the whatever-Rivian-calls its ADAS version with my R1S Gen 1. A total garbage, swerved all over the road, could not keep even lane centering. Sure, perhaps this has evolved, but again, to suggest that Elon Musk should be worried about Rivian ADAS is a totally laughable notion that can only come out of a RIvian hyper fanboy.

 

[bigsky]

Just to clarify, the cameras were constantly “blocked” on my Model Y because it’s dark, raining or snowing here so often for half or more of the year, did not seem like a reliable option. Maybe in a place like Florida, Texas or California, where the car seemed most suited to operate.

The Gen2 update is an enormous improvement, having driven it before the update, it’s a major shift only a few months later. Seems pretty promising to me.

Hmm. Have driven both my Teslas on FSD at night. Perfectly fine and amazing. Problems with rain and snow, I suppose. But again, first person who ever had no problem at all driving in, say heavy rain or snow and still being able to see clearly, raise your hand...crickets.

 

[Riviot]

Gen1 Flintstones mobile back here like

 

[CrazyOne]

Musk has real things to concern himself with.

FSD on my Tesla will pull out of my driveway, go down the road, stop at entrance gate waiting for it to open, goes right on through when it does, and takes me to my destination using any and all roads even back roads with no lane markings, all the while I am sitting in the car not knowing what to do with my hands.

Translation: Rivian ADAS is light years behind Tesla FSD even though the latter still is far from pefect.

My relative wanted to show off FSD and engaged it. We were on a highway going straight and it was on a curve. We found ourselves in a left only lane waiting for light. He took over within a minute of engaging it. That was this year.

Last year, FSD literally crushed and climbed on a motorcycle on the same highway, a few miles ahead. They had to lift the car to get his body and motorcycle from under the car. The driver is charged with manslaughter.

Not saying Rivian hands free is better, Tesla is

 

[bigsky]

My relative wanted to show off FSD and engaged it. We were on a highway going straight and it was on a curve. We found ourselves in a left only lane waiting for light. He took over within a minute of engaging it. That was this year.

Last year, FSD literally crushed and climbed on a motorcycle on the same highway, a few miles ahead. They had to lift the car to get his body and motorcycle from under the car. The driver is charged with manslaughter.

Not saying Rivian hands free is better, Tesla is

"Keep your hands on the wheel, be ready to take over at any time," FSD warns each time it is engaged. Still, events as what you point out may happen. Overall, FSD still is safer than human driving per miles driven, though.

Reason why I myself use FSD sparingly, do not fully trust it. But in the grand scheme of things there is no better ADAS in America, only in China.

 

[CrazyOne]

"Keep your hands on the wheel, be ready to take over at any time," FSD warns each time it is engaged. Still, events as what you point out may happen. Overall, FSD still is safer than human driving per miles driven, though.

Reason why I myself use FSD sparingly, do not fully trust it. But in the grand scheme of things there is no better ADAS in America, only in China.

There are LiDar based ones that would atleast see what is there(I mean the motorcycle for example ). It a niche right now, but is growing.

IDK about super cruise and it's limited to highways, but they seem more confident in their system to advertise it as hands off. So is Rivian's new system.

Safer than per whom? Is the data sliced for highway miles only for cars with emergency braking?

 

[bigsky]

There are LiDar based ones that would atleast see what is there(I mean the motorcycle for example ). It a niche right now, but is growing.

IDK about super cruise and it's limited to highways, but they seem more confident in their system to advertise it as hands off. So is Rivian's new system.

Safer than per whom? Is the data sliced for highway miles only for cars with emergency braking?

Like everything else statistical data, FSD safety is measured as a number of events, disengagements, interventions, etc. per a given data sampling. In this case FSD is compared to the same data size, e.g. perhaps 100k miles driven against the same results with human driving.
A terrible, bad experience with FSD does not mean FSD is bad or worse than human driving anymore than somebody saying that his great experience with FSD means that it is indeed perfect.

Statistical data shows that FSD driving has fewer safety incidents compared to human driving per a given number of miles driven.

Another similar point. ICE cars catch fire at a much higher rate than EVs. That's not because there are more ICE cars than EVs. It does mean that given a sampling of, say 100k ICE and 100k EVs, the former sampling of ICE cars will experience far more fires than the 100k pool of EVs. Same approach for FSD.

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