Rivian/Columbia Tristar Marketing Group Automakers love to celebrate the holidays, but there's no getting around the fact that a lot of what they do is just lame. And yes, that includes essentially every April Fools press release in at least the last 15 years. That said, connected cars and increased onboard processing power give brands a lot more options for their holiday celebrations. And sometimes they pull it off. Like Rivian did with this year's Ghostbusters-themed Halloween mode update, which will go live to owners on October 9. As you can see in the image above, Rivian, one of our most whimsical automakers, designed an Ecto-1-inspired R1S for the occasion that it's calling the Ecto-R1. It could have been incredibly cheesy, but it actually looks pretty rad, especially with the updated 22-inch Aero wheels. Rivian also secured a licensing deal with Sony, so the graphics on the front doors are the real deal. And Rivian actually built this thing: The roof rack is where our design team really leaned into the details. While every functional accessory including the sirens, spotlights, radar dish, and side tanks mirrors the original film car, the rack structure itself is pure Rivian with its distinctive stadium silhouette. We also integrated a subtle compass design visible only from a top-down view. While the vintage emergency lights were sourced and restored, the custom frame and every accessory housing were fabricated in-house by our Special Projects team. Halloween mode 2026 Rivian/Columbia Tristar Marketing Group Unfortunately for the few Ghostbusters fans still young enough to drive, Halloween mode won't transform their R1S into the Ecto-R1. Owners will, however, get the option to enjoy a Ghostbusters-themed driving experience if they want. Open the in-vehicle app while parked, and you'll have the option to choose one of several theme packs — Ecto-1, Proton Pack, Slimer, Ghost Trap, Peter Venkman, or Random — that play their own LED light shows and officially licensed sounds, as well as changing the sound the car makes when it locks or unlocks. Continuing the theme, Rivian says its voice assistant "picks up a distinctively eerie tone for the season" and can be used to activate light shows. And while they aren't playable while driving, the update adds two seasonal games that can be played from the infotainment screen. The release also says "key visual cues stay active" while driving, but it isn't clear on what those are exactly. Oh, and there's a Trick-or-Treat mode that starts a light show and plays the "Ghostbusters" theme. Sure, it's completely unnecessary, but who cares? No one's forcing anyone to use the mode if they don't want to, and it seems like the kind of thing the grandkids will love. Heck, depending on the kid, it might be the coolest thing they've ever seen. Children are, after all, easily impressed, and anything with flashing lights and fun sounds is sure to be a hit. That probably changes at some point, but it's not like I have any idea how old they are when it happens. Twelve, maybe? Even if you don't own a Rivian, you may also enjoy the ad that goes along with the Halloween update's release. It features Bill Murray, the actor who starred in the original "Ghostbusters" more than 40 years ago.