Rivian launches AI voice assistant for its EVs

Rivian has officially launched its AI-powered voice assistant today, making it available across the company’s electric vehicle lineup through a software update. The feature is accessible to owners of compatible Gen 1 and Gen 2 Rivian vehicles who subscribe to the Connect Plus cellular service, priced at $15 per month or $150 annually, or those currently in an active trial period.

Originally unveiled during last year’s AI and Autonomy Day, the Rivian Assistant is built on the company’s proprietary Rivian Unified Intelligence platform. This system is described as a “shared, multi-modal AI foundation” that is “interwoven” throughout the entire organization. While deeply integrated into the vehicle’s core operations, the assistant also connects with third-party applications like Google Calendar. Rivian has emphasized that the assistant is developed in-house, though it is “augmented” by external models “for grounded data, natural conversation and powerful reasoning.”

I had the opportunity to test an early version of the Rivian Assistant last year. While response times were occasionally a bit slow, the assistant’s range and breadth of capabilities were genuinely impressive. Activation happens via the steering wheel’s scroll wheel or by saying “Hey Rivian.” During a demo, the assistant demonstrated the ability to read upcoming Google Calendar events and even modify them, such as rescheduling a meeting.

Rivian has shared numerous examples of how owners can interact with the assistant. For instance, you can ask whether a river is shallow enough to cross, request the camera view of the truck’s bed, or combine travel distance with queries about sunset timing. The assistant also handles casual, naturalistic statements. Saying you “need to get cleaned up on the way home” prompts it to locate a nearby car wash.

Rivian does not support popular phone projection systems like Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, opting instead to design and build many of these features itself. The company argues that this approach allows it to create an AI assistant that connects directly to the vehicle’s hardware, enabling voice control over core functions such as HVAC, drive mode selection, battery preconditioning, and more. Notably, Rivian’s R1 vehicles, along with the upcoming R2 and R3 models, run on Android Automotive’s operating system.

To use the assistant fully, Rivian owners must separately connect their various apps and services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Google Calendar, and others. Once connected, they can ask the assistant to send text messages to friends or search through their messages for specific details. The assistant can also answer general knowledge questions about weather or news headlines.