Software-defined vehicles have firmly entered the mainstream, with automakers regularly rolling out updates and remotely issuing recall fixes. That can make the ownership experience much more convenient, but connected cars may also live much longer lives because of their ability to receive updates over time. Rivian’s chief software officer, Wassym Bensaid, recently told The Drive that its software could enable updates for up to 10 years or more in some cases.
Rivian’s vehicle development roadmap works in long-term cycles, with Bensaid telling The Drive, “We like to think about 7 to 10 years” with vehicle timelines, and it’s able to do that thanks to its software. That concept applies to existing models, like the R1T and R1S, but it will also power Rivian’s upcoming vehicles, including the new R2 due in 2026.
Bensaid clarified to say that the 7-10 year timeline only applies to feature upgrades, noting that safety and functional software updates would continue beyond that time. He promised that the vehicles would “absolutely work,” not said that they would go without the latest feature upgrades. The automaker’s software updates have brought useful features, including off-road driving modes, and others have kept the interface up to date.
Rivian’s highly integrated operations give it deeper access to vehicle functions with software updates, so it can issue revisions to the vehicles’ ride quality and other behaviors that competitors like Ford can’t.
[Images: Rivian]
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