Rivian's New AI Voice Assistant Is Rolling Out. Here's What It Can Do
The Rivian Assistant hits the R1S and R1T via the startup's latest software update. The R2 is next.
- The Rivian Assistant is rolling out in the EV maker's latest software update, the company announced on Tuesday.
- The AI voice assistant brings new natural-language capabilities to Rivian's vehicles.
- It's available in all R1S and R1T vehicles, provided owners have a connectivity subscription.
Rivian's in-house AI assistant is here. At its Autonomy & AI Day in December, the EV startup announced that the Rivian Assistant would hit vehicles in early 2026. On Tuesday, Rivian said that the feature is now rolling out as part of its latest over-the-air software update.
The feature aims to take in-vehicle voice commands to the next level and allow owners to interact more naturally with their SUVs and trucks. It's part of a broader push from the car industry to beef up their voice assistants using AI chatbot technology. Last month, General Motors, Volvo, and Polestar announced that their vehicles would gain access to Google Gemini. Newer Teslas have xAI's Grok.
The Rivian Assistant takes things a step further by being more deeply integrated into the vehicle. "Unlike basic voice command tools found in phone-mirroring systems, Rivian Assistant is built directly into your vehicle's hardware and software, providing the unique power to talk to every aspect of the vehicle and get things done for you," the company said in a press release. It relies on both in-house and external AI models for various tasks.
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As I saw during demos at Rivian's tech event last year, the Rivian Assistant can do a lot more than your average voice-recognition feature, which is typically limited to a handful of vehicle functions and rigid phrasing. By saying "Hey Rivian" or pressing a button on the steering wheel, you can speak to adjust drive modes, view vehicle cameras, and learn about points of interest. You can also issue complex multi-step commands, like sending a friend a batch of restaurant recommendations and your ETA from the navigation system. The assistant will also remember the context you gave it, and can answer general knowledge questions just like ChatGPT and other similar tools can.
Rivian also bills the assistant as "an encyclopedia for your vehicle." In other words, instead of digging through the owners manual, drivers can ask their vehicle things like how to change a tire.
What really sets the Rivian Assistant apart, though, is its agentic capability. Rivian says it'll connect various services to the Assistant over time, but the first such integration is Google Calendar. It means that, while driving, Rivian owners who connect their Google accounts can move meetings, navigate to appointments, and relay calendar information via text—all by using their voice.
The Rivian Assistant is rolling out to Gen 1 and Gen 2 R1S and R1T vehicles, and will hit the R2 when that launches to customers in the coming weeks. The feature requires an active connectivity subscription. If you're a Rivian owner and you get access to the assistant, drop us a line and let us know what you think.
Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
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