Rivian owners anxious about vandalism and theft will be excited about a new software update now rolling out that adds a monitoring feature similar to Tesla’s Sentry Mode. The new feature is Gear Guard Live Cam.
Rivian introduced Gear Guard in 2022, a system that uses the vehicle’s on-board cameras to monitor the area around the vehicle. If suspicious activity is detected, the cameras record video footage, which could then be viewed later through the Rivian app, or in the vehicle. With this new update, R1S and R1T owners can view live footage through the Rivian mobile app.
The update also enables reviewing the camera feeds when the alarm is triggered.
According to Rivian, this was a top owner-requested feature. The company wrote, “We created the Gear Guard security system to offer greater peace of mind during your adventures, far away from home, or just in your driveway. The system includes high-resolution cameras embedded around your vehicle, physical cables that secure your gear, and an attentive (but friendly) animation on the center display. With this update, you can now see what’s happening in and around your vehicle from almost anywhere, right from the palm of your hand, through the Rivian mobile app.”
Rivian also released a video demonstrating how to use Gear Guide Live Cam. Rivian owners must be subscribed to Connect+ in order for the feature to work. It is also available for both Gen 1 and Gen 2 Rivian owners.
Along with Gear Guard Live Cam, the software update also includes Dynamic Headlight Leveling, more climate control options, and new Drive Mode animations.