Rivian is pushing forward with its autonomous driving strategy, with CEO RJ Scaringe confirming that hands-free driving will be available in 2025, followed by a more advanced “eyes-off” system in 2026
Rivian’s current vehicles are equipped with the Rivian Autonomy Platform, which features 11 cameras, five radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a driver-facing camera to monitor fatigue. This system already provides advanced driver assistance, including lane centering and adaptive cruise control.
However, the company aims to take this a step further by introducing a hands-free Level 2 system next year, followed by a Level 3 “eyes-off” system in 2026, according to comments made by Scaringe on Thursday. (via Reuters)
At Level 2, the vehicle assists with steering and acceleration but still requires the driver’s attention. The jump to Level 3, however, is significant. It will allow drivers to remove their hands from the wheel and take their eyes off the road under specific conditions, offering them more freedom while driving.
This would put Rivian in the same league as Mercedes, which currently offers the only approved Level 3 system in the US with its Drive Pilot. However, Drive Pilot comes with strict restrictions.
Scaringe emphasized that the company is “hyper-focused” on developing these autonomous capabilities, leveraging AI-driven improvements to accelerate their progress. While Tesla has committed to a vision-only approach, Rivian relies on both cameras and radar to enhance its driver assistance systems. Looking further ahead, Scaringe acknowledged that achieving Level 4 autonomy—where the vehicle can drive itself without any human intervention—would likely require LiDAR, a sensor technology that Tesla has dismissed but is widely used by other autonomous driving firms.
Despite these ambitious plans, Rivian faces a rapidly shifting regulatory and economic landscape. The US government’s stance on EV incentives has fluctuated with political changes, and potential tariffs on automotive components from Mexico and Canada could disrupt supply chains and impact the automaker’s bottom line, potentially making Rivian’s ability to deliver on its autonomous driving promises critical for its long-term success.
Additionally, these advancements will be particularly important for Rivian’s upcoming R2 and R3 models, which aim to bring more affordable EV options to market starting in 2026.
