Photo: Rivian
Rivian sent the 2023.30.00 software update to its internal testing team with new features to make life with an R1 vehicle more enjoyable. One of the most requested was a one-touch command for the garage door remote, which is now available with the new update.
Update August 16:This build is now labeled as Public Release and pushed to customer vehicles.
Rivian is considered, next to Tesla, the most successful EV startup operating in the US market. Rivian's success is explained by the strong connection between the company and the customers and fan base. Rivian's executives spend time on social media platforms, collecting valuable feedback, something that Tesla also used to do before Elon Musk decided he knew best. This feedback resulted in new features added to vehicles with every software update.
During the second-quarter earnings call, Wassym Bensaid, Rivian's Senior Vice President of Software Development, joked that he was called "Chief Reddit Officer" by his colleagues precisely because of his interaction with customers on the Rivian subreddit. This resulted in 22 major software updates since Rivian launched its software platform in the fall of 2021, with features such as Birds Eye Camera View, Drive Cam, Snow Mode, Camp Mode, Bed Mode, and more.
Now, Rivian is preparing another significant update, with the most important feature being a one-touch command for the garage remote. This was requested by many Rivian owners for the past year and will soon be pushed to customer vehicles. The 2023.30.00 update offers a prompt on the driver display when approaching or leaving that garage. You can then press the right thumb control button on the right side of the steering wheel to open or close the garage door.
For this to work, you first need to set the garage location by parking the vehicle in front of it and going to Settings > Connect > Garages. When pairing a new garage, you can also set the location at the end of the pairing process. Although the garage opener is now a one-touch command, thanks to the automation, things get more complicated if you have multiple paired garages at the same location. In that case, you must use the steering wheel thumbwheel to scroll and then select the appropriate garage.
Another change introduced with this software version affects the navigation system. Rivian recently integrated A Better Route Planner, improving the charging and routing experience. The acquisition is now put to good work, as the new update adds more information and sophistication to route planning. For instance, search results for places now include the drive times next to the results as you type. Choose the drive time to go straight to navigation. You can still choose a result on the list to view details and a route preview before you start your trip.
Rivian navigation system also offers information about the chargers along the route, including charging time and charger speed, marked with a number of lightning bolt icons. When you arrive at a charging stop that is part of your trip, you see the target charge level under the arrival message. This tells you how much you're supposed to charge during the stop.
Another welcome addition is the ability to send an address from the phone to the vehicle by sharing it via the Rivian app. The Share option is also supported for Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Yelp. Finally, Rivian added EVgo Autocharge+ support, which is the commercial name for the plug&charge feature. After setting up the Autocharge+ feature in the Evgo app, you can start charging your vehicle by plugging into a DC fast charger from EVgo. The charger automatically detects the vehicle and associates its charging with your EVgo account.
Rivian is considered, next to Tesla, the most successful EV startup operating in the US market. Rivian's success is explained by the strong connection between the company and the customers and fan base. Rivian's executives spend time on social media platforms, collecting valuable feedback, something that Tesla also used to do before Elon Musk decided he knew best. This feedback resulted in new features added to vehicles with every software update.
During the second-quarter earnings call, Wassym Bensaid, Rivian's Senior Vice President of Software Development, joked that he was called "Chief Reddit Officer" by his colleagues precisely because of his interaction with customers on the Rivian subreddit. This resulted in 22 major software updates since Rivian launched its software platform in the fall of 2021, with features such as Birds Eye Camera View, Drive Cam, Snow Mode, Camp Mode, Bed Mode, and more.
Now, Rivian is preparing another significant update, with the most important feature being a one-touch command for the garage remote. This was requested by many Rivian owners for the past year and will soon be pushed to customer vehicles. The 2023.30.00 update offers a prompt on the driver display when approaching or leaving that garage. You can then press the right thumb control button on the right side of the steering wheel to open or close the garage door.
For this to work, you first need to set the garage location by parking the vehicle in front of it and going to Settings > Connect > Garages. When pairing a new garage, you can also set the location at the end of the pairing process. Although the garage opener is now a one-touch command, thanks to the automation, things get more complicated if you have multiple paired garages at the same location. In that case, you must use the steering wheel thumbwheel to scroll and then select the appropriate garage.
Another change introduced with this software version affects the navigation system. Rivian recently integrated A Better Route Planner, improving the charging and routing experience. The acquisition is now put to good work, as the new update adds more information and sophistication to route planning. For instance, search results for places now include the drive times next to the results as you type. Choose the drive time to go straight to navigation. You can still choose a result on the list to view details and a route preview before you start your trip.
Rivian navigation system also offers information about the chargers along the route, including charging time and charger speed, marked with a number of lightning bolt icons. When you arrive at a charging stop that is part of your trip, you see the target charge level under the arrival message. This tells you how much you're supposed to charge during the stop.
Another welcome addition is the ability to send an address from the phone to the vehicle by sharing it via the Rivian app. The Share option is also supported for Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Yelp. Finally, Rivian added EVgo Autocharge+ support, which is the commercial name for the plug&charge feature. After setting up the Autocharge+ feature in the Evgo app, you can start charging your vehicle by plugging into a DC fast charger from EVgo. The charger automatically detects the vehicle and associates its charging with your EVgo account.
NEW RIVIAN SOFTWARE UPDATE
— RivianTrackr (@RivianSoftware) August 8, 2023
Version: 2023.30.00
Release: Internal
First-noticed: 08/08/2023
Short description: One-Touch Garage Door Opener, Navigation Enhancements, New Text Address Sharing From Smartphone To Vehicle Navigation, EVgo Autocharge+ Support, and Additional… pic.twitter.com/ZSobnfuBlz
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