Rivian’s AI-powered voice assistant is now available to the company’s vehicle fleet through a software update for Rivian Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles. Owners subscribed to Connect Plus, Rivian’s cellular service costing $15 monthly or $150 annually, or those in an active trial, can access it. First announced at last year’s AI and Autonomy Day, the Rivian Assistant is based on Rivian Unified Intelligence, a comprehensive AI foundation integrated throughout the company. The assistant pairs with third-party apps like Google Calendar and is designed in-house but enhanced by third-party models for improved interaction and reasoning.
I tested an early version of the Rivian Assistant last year. It occasionally responded slowly but handled a wide range of queries impressively. It activates via the steering wheel scroll wheel or by saying “Hey Rivian.” In demonstrations, the assistant could read and modify Google Calendar events, such as rescheduling meetings.
Owners can use the assistant for various tasks, like checking if a river is shallow enough to cross, viewing the truck bed’s camera, or combining travel distance with sunset timing questions. It also responds to casual requests, such as finding a nearby car wash upon expressing a need to clean up.
Rivian opts to design and build features itself, excluding popular phone projection systems like Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. This integration allows the AI assistant to connect directly with vehicle hardware, enabling voice control over functions like HVAC, drive mode selection, and battery preconditioning. Rivian vehicles operate on Android Automotive’s system, including its R1, forthcoming R2, and R3 models.
Owners must connect their apps, like Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Calendar, separately for the assistant to access them. Once connected, the assistant can send text messages, search texts for details, and answer general knowledge questions about weather or news.