Somewhat similar to Tesla's Sentry Mode, Rivian has a security system for its vehicles called Gear Guard.
In a new video, the EV startup presents the Gear Guard family of security features in great detail, highlighting what it can do to keep Rivian vehicles safe.
For now, the system has three main components. The main one is Gear Guard Video, which uses five of the R1T's 11 cameras to record a 360-degree view of the vehicle, watching for anything going wrong while the owner is gone.
The other two components are Gear Guard Cable, which is an actual braided steel cable used to secure stuff like bikes, kayaks, skis in the R1T's truck bed and on the roof, and Gear Guard Alarm, which sets off the vehicle alarm when something happens and sends the owner a notification on the Rivian mobile app.
In the video, Rivian employees who worked on the Gear Guard suite explain each of the three features, starting with the video monitoring system. We learn that Gear Guard Video starts recording when someone is less than a foot away from the truck, with the videos being kept in the vehicle's internal hard drive for later viewing.
When Gear Guard records video, an animated Gear Guard character holding a camera appears on the vehicle's central display, letting people know they're being filmed.
Speaking of the cartoon character, it's a bit of a missed opportunity not to give it a name, as it looks like many people who commented on the video would want Rivian to baptize it. If you have any ideas, feel free to share them in the comments section below.
Finally, when it comes to the Gear Guard braided steel cable, it's covered in a woven nylon jacket and said to be very resistant to cutting by many different methods. The two ends of the cable attach to two plugs located inside the truck bed, so when the truck is locked, the cable is locked as well. As a result, there's no need to use a key or a combination lock.
Source: Rivian (YouTube)