Rivian's AI-powered voice assistant rolls out to vehicle owners via software update

Rivian is releasing its Rivian Assistant to all compatible Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicle owners who subscribe to Connect Plus ($15 a month or $150 a year) or are in an active trial. The assistant was first announced at last year's AI and Autonomy Day.

The assistant is powered by Rivian Unified Intelligence, a shared multi-modal AI foundation built in-house but augmented by third-party models. It integrates directly with vehicle hardware (HVAC, drive mode, battery preconditioning) and pairs with third-party apps like Google Calendar, Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Calendar. Users activate it via the steering wheel scroll or by saying 'Hey Rivian.'

The assistant can handle diverse tasks: reading and rescheduling calendar events, checking if a river is shallow enough to cross, displaying camera views, combining travel distance with sunset timing queries, finding nearby car washes, sending text messages, and answering general knowledge questions about weather or news.