Rivian unveils new ‘Universal Hands-Free’ driving style

Rivian’s second-generation R1 EVs are on the way update today which brings a new driving program “Universal Hands-Free”, which the company revealed last week on its first “Autonomy & AI Day”.

The company says the new feature allows drivers to remove their hands on more than 3.5 million roads in the United States and Canada, including highways and freeways, as long as there are lines of sight.

Owners must supervise the driving of the vehicle and, in particular, “do not stop or slow down at traffic lights or stop signs.” Universal Hands-Free will no longer update or track navigation. (Rivian says the software will restart if the operator uses its token and controls manually.)

It’s an important step for the company, which aims to make its cars autonomous over the next few years. But it also comes with a risk: Automakers with similar systems like Tesla and Ford have experienced many accidents and deaths, many related to drivers’ attention straying from driver assistance systems. The damage has led to investigations and lawsuits.

The updated software greatly expands existing driver support capabilities for Rivian owners. Before the update, Rivian’s hands-free driving system only worked on 135,000 kilometers of highways. Rivian detailed plans at last week’s event to allow its cars to drive themselves from “point-to-point,” although this won’t be shipped until 2026.

Rivian is developing a new silicon-based autonomous computer for its R2 SUV (debuted in 2026) that, combined with a roof-mounted lidar sensor, could one day make the company’s vehicles autonomous, CEO RJ Scaringe said last week.

The software update released on Thursday introduces a few additional features that are not compatible with Rivian’s driver assistance system. There is a new version of its digital key that owners of the second generation R1 cars can add to digital wallets on iPhones, Apple Watches, Google Pixels, and Samsung phones. Owners of quad-motor models of Gen 2 R1 EVs are also getting it for a long time “Kick Turn” modeand “RAD Tuner” driving modes.