Rivian has launched its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), rolling out its new Enhanced Highway Assist feature, along with several other new features. Introduced through software update 2025.06, the hands-free driving system is currently only available for second-generation R1S and R1T vehicle, and only works on certain highways.
Rivian’s Autonomy Platform was developed in-house, and relies on three key components: a sensor suite using both radar and vision, an onboard compute module, and machine learning algorithms that process environmental data in real-time.
The sensor suite includes 11 cameras and five radars, providing a 360-degree view of the vehicle’s surroundings. Rivian claims its cameras have the highest resolution of any North American vehicle, while its overlapping radars enhance visibility in poor conditions such as fog, darkness, or glare. This data is processed by an onboard compute module capable of handling over 200 trillion operations per second, allowing the platform’s machine learning models to interpret sensor data and improve decision-making in detecting obstacles and navigating traffic.
According to Rivian, Enhanced Highway Assist allows owners to take their hands off the wheel while driving, provided they remain attentive to the road. At launch, the feature is available on 135,000 miles (217,000km) of highways across Canada and the U.S., Rivian’s development roadmap includes further advancements, with expansions planned over the next year including off-highway roads, and also hands-off, eyes-off capabilities expected to debut in controlled conditions in 2026.
Alongside Enhanced Highway Assist, Rivian has introduced several additional improvements in its latest software update, which we covered last week:
- Rally Mode: Designed for performance dual-motor vehicles, this mode improves throttle response and steering for better handling on dirt, ice, and other challenging surfaces.
- Performance Upgrade: Available as an OTA software update for C$7,200 (US$5,000), this upgrade boosts performance to 665 horsepower and 829 lb-ft of torque, unlocking three new driving modes: Sport, Rally, and Soft Sand.
- Convenience Enhancements: New quality-of-life features include tilt-down side mirrors when reversing, remote charge port door closure, and the “Go Chime” alert, which notifies drivers when the vehicle ahead has started moving.
