Rivian has chosen a distinctive approach to artificial intelligence (AI) in its vehicles. While Tesla and other automakers are heavily investing in autonomous driving and preparing for a future filled with robotaxis, Rivian is taking a different path. Instead of pursuing full self-driving capabilities or advanced autonomous functions, Rivian’s Chief Software Officer, Wassym Bensaid, shared that the company is focused on incremental improvements that enhance driver safety and convenience.
During a recent interview with Business Insider, Bensaid emphasized that Rivian does not prioritize autonomous driving or robotaxi technology.
“We are not necessarily chasing full-self driving, we’re not chasing robotaxis. Our goal is incremental improvements to the safety and convenience for customers,” Bensaid explained.
Rivian’s vision for AI differs from others, with Bensaid wanting to instead focus on the potential of AI to improve hands-free interactions and reduce driver distractions. In another recent interview at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, he shared that Rivian sees voice control as the future of in-car interactions, replacing touchscreens and physical buttons, which he referred to as bugs, not features.
However, Bensaid explained that current voice assistants often fall short, but AI advancements could transform these systems, allowing drivers to communicate with their vehicles more intuitively. “Ideally, you would want to interact with your car through voice,” Bensaid noted.
The company has also outlined ambitions to expand its software capabilities further. Rivian’s ultimate goal, as Bensaid shared, is to create an operating system that could serve as an alternative to Apple CarPlay, making Rivian’s software a key product in its own right.
CEO RJ Scaringe has echoed this sentiment in a recent podcast, emphasizing that Rivian’s path is intentionally distinct from Tesla, which he referred to as “absolutely inspiring.” While he recognizes Tesla’s influence in the EV industry, Scaringe aims to avoid mirroring its approach, particularly concerning vehicle autonomy. “We’re not chasing a specific autonomy level because we think, philosophically, that it’s really about the incremental features, whether it’s safety or convenience that you can progressively add to the car,” he said.
