Older Rivian R1T And R1S EVs Are Getting Digital Key Support–Sort Of

The latest Rivian EVs have proper digital key support, and now the company has found a workaround for Gen 1 models.

Photo by: Rivian

By: Iulian Dnistran

Feb 10, at 3:56am ET

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Rivian’s latest iPhone app will come with an Apple Watch companion app.
The Watch app will allow owners of Gen 1 R1T and R1S EVs to control their cars without having to take out their phones or carry a physical key.
It’s not a full-blown digital key like the Gen 2 R1S and R1T support, but it’s the closest thing to it.

Owners of older Rivian R1S and R1T EVs will soon have the ability to remotely control their cars without having to use their smartphones or physical keys. That’s because the latest Rivian smartphone app for Apple iPhones, version 3.9, will add an Apple Watch companion app that will enable owners of the 2021-2024 R1T and R1S to lock, unlock, and drive their cars.

This, of course, means that owners who want to forget about the physical key will have to shell out at least $249, which is what the cheapest Apple Watch costs right now in the U.S. That said, some drivers might already wear an Apple smartwatch, in which case it doesn’t cost anything extra to use the features.

Photo by: Rivian

As reported by RivianTrackr, the release notes for the latest smartphone app version mention that the smartwatch companion app needs to run in the foreground to make sure that the Apple Watch can be used as a key. To start driving, the app needs to be open. The wrist app can also be used to sound the alarm, set a state of charge and adjust the cabin temperature.

All of this being said, this is not true digital key support, a feature that comes standard with the Gen 2 Rivian R1T and R1S. On 2025 and newer Rivians, owners can store a digital key in the digital wallets of their smartphones, just like a credit card. The car automatically unlocks when approaching, if the smartphone is in the driver’s pocket, and automatically locks when the driver walks away. By contrast, Gen 1 owners will need to tap on their Apple Watch screen to lock and unlock their vehicles.

What’s more, Rivian’s digital key is compatible with a wider range of devices, including iPhone and Apple Watch as well as Google Pixel and Samsung Android phones. That said, the latest Apple Watch companion app will also be available for drivers of the Gen 2 R1S and R1T.

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Version 3.9 of Rivian’s smartphone app is not yet available in the app store, but it’s expected to go live in the coming weeks.