Rivian’s head of software, Wassym Bensaid, discussed the company’s upcoming software roadmap, including a “big update with towing” and a multitude of helpful new features that Rivian drivers can look forward to.
Why do people buy a Rivian? Speaking with Marques Brownlee on his WVFRM podcast, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company’s mission ultimately aligned around the idea of building products that enabled and inspired people to go do the kinds of things they want to take photographs of.
For this reason, Rivian began building a brand around adventuring (hence the adventure vehicle) and enabling an EV that can take you anywhere.
Rivian’s first-generation electric vehicles, the flagship R1T electric truck and sister R1S SUV model, are built to go beyond the norm with the ability to drive through 3ft of water, rock crawl a 100% grade, tow up to 11,000 lbs (7,700 lbs with the R1S), and go 0 to 60 mph as quickly as a sports car.
Scarige also explained that most R1T buyers are first-time truck owners who are looking for the functionality of a pickup but don’t want the inefficiencies of a gas-powered truck or SUV.
According to a recent Q&A with Rivian head of software, Wassym Bensaid, its vehicles are about to get even more functional.
Rivian R1T towing an 11,000-lb, 30-ft trailer during hot weather testing (Source: Rivian)
Rivian EVs to get towing update alongside new features
Bensaid held the event at Rivian’s Venice Hub in California as community members asked questions about the company’s future tech features.
According to Bensaid, Rivian will continue to improve its vehicles by taking in customer feedback and implementing OTA updates.
One of the first features will be an integrated dash cam, expected to roll out by the end of the month. The software lead says Rivian is in the final steps of integrating and testing the feature (and he already has it in his vehicle).
Rivian R1T (Source: Rivian)
The next question was, “Will the truck bed cam be available while towing?” Bensaid says it will be an available feature that Rivian is working on.
He says Rivian didn’t include it until now because the camera in the bed is different than the others in the vehicle. The company is in the final process of implementing it, and it will be here by summer.
More importantly, Bensaid spilled the beans, saying Rivian “will make a big update with everything towing” this summer.
Despite the R1T’s existing ability to tow, he says there will be improvements to the drivability, adding creator profiles and a key upgrade involving the use of cameras.
Other features Bensaid discussed include:
- Integrating text messages on the screen
- Activating cameras via blinker
- Navigation improvements to support adventure planning
- Valet mode
- Additional entertainment apps
- Holiday software events like Halloween Mode
Rivian says it’s developing an algorithm to determine charger reliability through customer feedback and reviews to ensure a smooth charging experience in the future.
You can see the full Q&A with Wassym Bensaid and more from the event on YouTube.
Keyword: Rivian announces ‘big’ towing update coming along with a slew of new features to look forward to