Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Now We Know WhenBy now, everyone knows Rivian wants to give its owners a taste of that Tesla-style Full Self-Driving magic. R2 buyers have been waiting for it, but the real question has always been: when will the good stuff actually show up?Well, now we have an answer. Rivian's latest Autonomy+ roadmap points to Point-to-Point assisted driving as the next big milestone, with a limited rollout kicking off later in 2026 and a wider launch set for 2027.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat's a bit more solid than Rivian's earlier promises. Back in January last year, CEO RJ Scaringe was talking about hands-free driving and 'eyes-off' mode for this year, but now we've got actual dates to circle on the calendar.RivianThe DetailsRivian's current lineup isn't exactly stuck in the Stone Age, either. Every second-gen R1 and R2 can already do Universal Hands-Free on roads with clear lane markings, and Lane Change on Command works anywhere that feature is live. According to Rivian, that covers about 3.5 million miles of roads across the US and Canada.Point-to-Point, meanwhile, is a system designed to follow your entire route from start to finish once you enter an address. Rivian claims it'll tackle city streets, highway interchanges, and everything in between, though you'll still need to keep your hands (and eyes) ready.Of note, this isn't a sci-fi robo-car where you can kick back in the back seat and take a nap. Rivian is clear: Point-to-Point is still just advanced driver assistance, and you'll need to stay alert.RivianLooking AheadRivian sees autonomy as a work in progress, not a finished product. Autonomy+ features roll out via over-the-air updates, and the company's Large Driving Model is designed to get smarter with every mile its fleet racks up.Rivian's ambitions don't stop there. Earlier this year, Scaringe teased Level 2-to-3 hands-off, eyes-off driving in about 18 months and even hinted at Level 4 autonomy by the end of the decade.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut for now, the next big step is just around the corner. Rivian's Tesla-style challenge isn't some far-off 2030 fantasy anymore. A limited Point-to-Point rollout is set for later this year, so R2 owners will finally get to see what Rivian's bold autonomy plans look like out on real roads.RivianThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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