Rants and Raves after 2 months of Rivian R1T ownership [DISCLAIMER: Unauthorized feedback from non-owner]

[ironpig]

Im an Apple user and I used to look for CP integration on cars, but after not getting it on my Tesla I quickly lost the need or desire to have another layer of software sitting on top of the OEM. In LA I have found that the volume of people using Waze or the likes makes Waze routes a waste of time and more times than not a route I will get stuck in.

Same in my Tesla - I only check Waze if it's something really out of the ordinary. When I did use Waze, I got stuck in lines of cars all being directed through side streets in the hills that they aren't used to driving - and they are all waiting for their phone to tell them the next turn. So it's really dangerous and just leads to another kind of congestion. And I also felt bad for the people who lived in some of those neighborhoods around the 101/405 interchange where Waze is constantly sending hoards of cars through their streets to gain 2 minutes on a commute.

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[Inkedsphynx]

As a matter of choice, quality, and functionality, is anyone here happier using their own automotive OS for maps and entertainment rather than their smartphone? I'd really like to know: Tesla, recent generation Audi, other?

The only thing I connect my phone to my car for is music, and that's just because there's no native Spotify app, so I connect via BT and stream from the phone.

I'm perfectly content with the integrated navigation. It hasn't steered me wrong in a situation that wasn't a result of a weird address or something of the like. Just my experience, though.

 

[Bullitt]

The infotainment system is QNX rather than Android. They are hiring a lot of QNX guys as well...to work on the infotainment system. The Android guys are probably working the phone App or maybe the Amazon Van uses Android?

I do believe you’re correct! I misspoke on that one

 

[bowhunter]

Given the discussion in this thread, I thought this was a "fun" one that I saw today:

Radio station snafu in Seattle bricks some Mazda infotainment systems | Ars Technica

 

[crashmtb]

As a matter of choice, quality, and functionality, is anyone here happier using their own automotive OS for maps and entertainment rather than their smartphone? I'd really like to know: Tesla, recent generation Audi, other?

I actually prefer sync in my Ford to CarPlay 90% of the time. It works a little more smoothly. It can read text messages aloud and so on but I don’t bother. Too busy driving.
The CarPlay versions of most apps I use aren’t very good anyway.
I do audio over USB(as far as the car is concerned, I’m using an iPod)

Navigstion works just fine, doesn’t do silly routing if there’s a little traffic, and doesn’t lose its place if there’s a stop on a long trip and my phone is disconnected from the car. granted, I don’t really use navigstion in town unless I’m going someplace new.

 

[kylealden]

As a matter of choice, quality, and functionality, is anyone here happier using their own automotive OS for maps and entertainment rather than their smartphone? I'd really like to know: Tesla, recent generation Audi, other?

Yes. I'm extremely happy with my Tesla's infotainment system. I might use carplay occasionally for podcasts if it was supported, but it has never bothered me that it's missing. It's fine but I prefer a very integrated solution. I leave my phone completely out of sight in the charger cubby and am glad to have it out of sight and out of mind while driving.

I do think the specific place I'm most likely to miss it in the Rivian is off-road mapping / trail software.

 

[lostpacket]

As much as I wish that was the case, it's actually QNX w/ unreal engine

Hmm. I forgot about the unreal engine post.

So the thing is, they have some job posts for QNX labeled "In Vehicle Experience" and some job posts for Android labeled "Infotainment"

Is there a chance they are using both? QNX for the instrument cluster display, Android for the large infotainment display?

I know the instrument cluster has to be an RTOS which QNX is, and Android Automotive can be, (or can support, not sure the details exactly). And I think there is some level of virtualization possible with both.

 

[lostpacket]

The infotainment system is QNX rather than Android. They are hiring a lot of QNX guys as well...to work on the infotainment system. The Android guys are probably working the phone App or maybe the Amazon Van uses Android?

In their job postings they seem to differentiate between App engineers and infotainment engineers and they are hiring for Android for both. But It could be the Amazon van. ?

 

[Bullitt]

I was under the impression the infotainment system was on Android as well having seen the same job postings, but I also see the same QNX postings. Unreal engine is hitting both there, but Im also not as familiar with QNX. Thus… who knows!

 

[IPTV65]

I was under the impression the infotainment system was on Android as well having seen the same job postings, but I also see the same QNX postings. Unreal engine is hitting both there, but Im also not as familiar with QNX. Thus… who knows!

Maybe both. QNX for base OS and Android Apps.

“ The QNX CAR Platform already supports both HTML5 and OpenGL® ES, the two most popular open standards for mobile app development. With the new version, 2.1, the platform extends its reach to support Android apps, as well as apps and human machine interfaces (HMIs) built with the popular Qt® 5 application framework.”

From here. http://www.qnx.com/news/pr_5602_1.html

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