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Autonomous Driving Feature Pricing

VValleyEV

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It looks like the base models will come with the basic hardware necessary for autonomous driving: cameras and sensors. I am still wondering whether there will be additional price points for enabling autonomy with various feature levels. I would hope that 100% of the hardware will be present in all vehicles, so that upgrade will be straightforward via software only.

So a big question will be, how much autonomous capability will be standard and what additional feature price points will there be? Tesla currently divides this into 2 pieces: $3k for autopilot, and another $5k for pre-paid feature upgrades, each another $1k if purchased after delivery. This could effect what other options I could afford, or even whether I can afford the long-range model.

Of course only Rivian knows, but this is something I will be watching closely as the pricing starts to unfold in more detail. Anyone have any clues they have found from statements by CJ or others?
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EyeOnRivian

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Tesla currently divides this into 2 pieces: $3k for autopilot, and another $5k for pre-paid feature upgrades, each another $1k if purchased after delivery.
Perhaps it differs on which Tesla model but I recently went through a mock order for the Model 3. The second auto-pilot option "Full Self-Driving Capability" is as you stated $5k with the order, however, an additional $2 if added later - "$7,000 upgrade if added after delivery" which requires the Auto-pilot option.

As far as what Rivian will do, have no idea, wish I did as I'm also interested in this but only in facts, not guesses. (Warning: stands-up on soapbox) I don't care to pontificate or have to read thru / hear others attempts at "guessing" what Rivian will do (on any topic). Personally I prefer forums where members discuss/share the facts and/or present desired features/colors/options/etc. they would like to see on the vehicle. There is already enough rhetoric and conjecture across multiple forums and youtube channels that one has to wade through to find a nugget of useful info. Perhaps separate and specifically defined forum threads can be created for those that have the time and desire to make attempts at predicating the future. (steps down off of sandbox.) ... Now back to the regularly scheduled program. ;)
 

CappyJax

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I think fully autonomous driving is much further away than is claimed. I think an autopilot function that allows a driver to sit back on enjoy the view is one thing, but relying on a vehicle to manage all possible scenarios is a monumental project. Only after several years of mishaps are they now starting to realize this. We really need thinking computers to have safe, full autonomous driving or flying vehicles.
 

Hmp10

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As far as what Rivian will do, have no idea, wish I did as I'm also interested in this but only in facts, not guesses.
Rivian issued this description in a press release last November:

"The R1T will launch with a robust hardware suite with multiple modalities including camera, lidar, radar, ultrasonic and a high precision GPS coupled with high definition maps. This hardware enables “Level 3” (hands-off wheel and eyes off road) autonomy for highway operation. Beyond the highway Level 3, the vehicle will have a range of self-driving features focused on enabling active lifestyles."

That last sentence has left the car press scratching its collective head.

Rivian seems to be taking a conservative approach in its autonomous driving plan. Other EV manufacturers with this list of installed hardware claim it will make the car capable of Level 4 self-driving once software is developed and approved. (Tesla isn't even installing lidar, yet still making Level 4 claims for down the road.) Yet Rivian claims all this hardware will yield only Level 3 capabilities in its vehicles. (Essentially, this means that some of the self-driving features available on the highway will not be accessible on surface streets in urban areas.)

Now here comes a dreaded guess: Rivian, by taking this conservative marketing approach, will actually produce what it promises in autonomous driving; but all features may not be immediately available because some features only become reliable -- and safe -- as data is captured from actual road use and run through artificial intelligence algorithms. The looming question in this arena is whether autonomous driving firms will share road use data from their systems with competitors in order to speed up the adoption of autonomous driving features.

In line with what CappyJax said, I don't think we'll see Level 5 autonomous capability until all vehicles on the road have onboard computers which can communicate with nearby vehicles . . . and that's some years away.
 
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VValleyEV

VValleyEV

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"The R1T will launch with a robust hardware suite with multiple modalities including camera, lidar, radar, ultrasonic and a high precision GPS coupled with high definition maps. This hardware enables “Level 3” (hands-off wheel and eyes off road) autonomy for highway operation. Beyond the highway Level 3, the vehicle will have a range of self-driving features focused on enabling active lifestyles."
Yes I saw that, and am focusing on the part BEFORE that last sentence about the great “beyond”. Note that this still leaves it ambiguous as to whether level 3 autonomy will be included in that $69k base price (and the longer-range model base model pricing). Could mean that iit is included, or that the hardware is all included but there will be an extra price point for switching it on in the software. This is in fact how Tesla’s are currently priced.

Here is a quote from a Car and Drive article Nov 2018
“Rivian says that every R1T will have Level 3 autonomous technology as standard, ...”
The full article:
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a25299722/2021-rivian-r1t-electric-pickup-truck-photos-info/

At first I thought, well issue resolved they say “every R1T”. But wait, “technology” still leaves wiggle room, might still mean just all the hardware, again maybe another $3k/$5k more to enable the software.

It could be that this is still all up in the air, and a decision yet to be made by Rivian. But it could be that it is spelled out somewhere that I have yet to find. Anyone have a reference?
 

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Hmp10

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I've done a good bit of searching and can't find anything about whether the autonomous driving features will be activated as part of the base price. This is another guess (sorry, EyeOnRivian), but maybe Rivian is holding off on final pricing structure until they have a better feel for how the market for such vehicles is looking a year and a half out.
 
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CappyJax

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“Beyond the highway Level 3, the vehicle will have a range of self-driving features focused on enabling active lifestyles."

What I heard in Aspen is that they envision the ability to have the Rivian drop you off at the top of a mountain, and pick you up at the bottom. Or drop you off up river, and pick you up downriver.
 

EyeOnRivian

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the ability to have the Rivian drop you off at the top of a mountain, and pick you up at the bottom. Or drop you off up river, and pick you up downriver.
That certainly would have saved us some money and time (4hrs) when we did a rim-to-rim hike into the Grand Canyon. We had to hire a service to drive us back to our cars. However, that situation is definitely more of the exception for me and would not warrant the additional cost of the autonomous driving feature, though I can see others using/needing it more. Would rather put that money towards my next excellent adventure. ;)
 

Hmp10

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This is all confusing to me. Except for movement on private surfaces (driveways, garages, etc.) the ability of a vehicle to move without a driver in it on public roadways is generally categorized as Level 5 autonomy, and no one is talking about that as imminent. Does this mean the Rivian would somehow travel off public roads to meet you?
 

Aurum

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I think their autonomous features will be standard (at least level 3) from everything RJ has said in interviews. However, it’s interesting to think that some of these higher level features could indeed be additional charges.

As for the “car will meet you at the end of your hike”, I got the impression that this would be much more of a “only in certain situations where we have been able to program specific routes and meeting destinations”, and not something where you could go to your local state park and tell it to meet you at the next turnoff or trailhead. I would assume this feature would roll out for a few hikes at famous parks like Yosemite or Yellowstone first, then potentially roll out other places.
 

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azjohnny

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I do agree with what has been said in this thread, but I do feel that when the companies do perfect Level 5 the government will drag their collective feet a while before actually allowing it
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