Back
Technology

Rivian Rolls Out AI-Powered Voice Assistant to R1 Owners

View source

Rivian Assistant now available on all Gen 1 and Gen 2 R1 vehicles via an over-the-air update.

Activated by saying "Hey Rivian" or holding the left steering wheel button, the new feature requires an active Connect+ subscription.

Features

The assistant controls drive modes, ride height, climate, front trunk, and EV-specific data. It understands natural language and supports multi-parameter commands.

Additional capabilities include:

  • Navigation and media control
  • AI-powered messaging with summarization and drafting
  • Troubleshooting answers based on the owner's manual
  • General knowledge, weather, and local news queries

Agentic Integration

Rivian Assistant includes an "agentic framework" that chains actions across services. The first third-party integration is Google Calendar, allowing users to:

  • Check schedules
  • Move meetings
  • Combine calendar tasks with navigation and messaging

More integrations are planned.

Comparison with Tesla

Rivian Assistant controls core vehicle functions from launch, while Tesla's Grok assistant cannot control climate, media, or other vehicle features.

Both assistants require subscriptions: Rivian Connect+ at $14.99/month or $149.99/year, compared to Tesla Premium Connectivity.

Privacy

Users can toggle off the wake word, limit location sharing, and disable memory features. Personal context is saved to individual driver profiles and not shared across users.

Availability

The assistant is available in English only and requires a cloud connection. It will also be available on the upcoming R2 platform.