With update 2024.19.04, Rivian introduced a striking visual overhaul to its vehicle software, featuring a completely new cel-shaded design for its vehicles. Moving away from realistic models, Rivian embraced a bold, anime-inspired aesthetic known as cel-shading, offering a fresh and dynamic look.
The cel-shaded 3D models come to life with stunning animations as you switch between drive modes, adding a stylish, artistic flair to the interface. The result is a visually captivating and modern experience.
Vehicle Mode Animations
When you change your vehicle mode, the background artwork and animations adapt to match. While parked, you can even touch the screen with two fingers to move the model slightly, creating a subtle 3D effect.
Each mode has its own unique animations. In Conserve mode, windmills spin in the background, while in Rally and Drift modes, dirt and dust fly up from your Rivian's tires. In Sport mode, you'll notice speed lines near the rear of the vehicle as it races along a virtual track.
You can view the subtle animation with a two-finger drag in the video below:
Time of Day Effects
The time of day also affects the UI, with the moon rising at night and the sun shining during the day, adding an extra layer of immersion.
Rivian has truly nailed this update, delivering a smooth, responsive, and visually impressive experience. It's easily one of the best vehicle UIs available today.
Rivian's Sport Mode
Rivian Wave
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Earlier this year, CEO RJ Scaringe addressed the topic of autonomy at the San Francisco Rivian Space opening, revealing that Rivian plans to add hands-free highway driving this year. Yesterday, during its earnings call, Rivian shared even more information, saying that their hands-free feature arriving on Gen 2 vehicles in just a few weeks.
Autonomy Light
Rivian plans to leverage the light bar on their Gen 2 vehicles to show other drivers when the vehicle’s Autonomy Platform+ feature is enabled. This feature has been adopted by a few brands, including Mercedes-Benz in its Drive Pilot ADAS, and some Chinese brands as well.
Hands-Free 2025
While RJ revealed that Rivian will be launching a hands-free ADAS system this year in San Francisco, he has now added that it’s coming in the next several weeks. If you’ve used a recent version of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised), the experience will likely feel familiar.
For those who haven’t, Rivian’s Autonomy Platform+ will enable hands-free highway driving, including automatic lane changes and exit maneuvers. However, drivers will likely need to take control upon reaching their exit—more on that later.
Similar to Tesla, while the driver is hands-free, attention to the road is required. Rivian’s Driver Monitoring System (DMS) ensures this by combining seat weight sensors with a camera embedded in the rearview mirror.
This is the video Rivian uses to demonstrate the Rivian Autonomy Platform+ (RAP+) capability called Enhanced Highway Assist. See the cars icon slide out up by the speed bubble? I wonder what they're trying to showcase here... pic.twitter.com/YZv3rjZtmH
The most interesting part of the announcement was that Rivian plans to launch an “eyes-off” system in 2026. That means that you won’t need to keep an eye on your vehicle as it navigates the highways - you’ll be able to take your eyes off the road, send some texts from your phone, and perhaps watch a movie or play a game on your center display.
The DMS will be disabled, and you’ll only be notified if you need to take over.
Highways or Streets?
Rivian has previously indicated that its autonomy efforts are focused on highways rather than the complexities of city streets. RJ Scaringe didn’t specify whether Rivian plans to expand beyond highway driving.
Highways are significantly easier to navigate than urban environments, so it’s reasonable to assume that the upcoming features and timelines will apply to Platform+ on highways—the only place Rivian originally intended for hands-free operation.
This means the system will handle driving from on-ramp to off-ramp, making long highway commutes and road trips far easier and more enjoyable.
Gen 2 Only
Unfortunately for early adopters, these improvements are exclusive to the Autonomy Platform+, which means that they won’t apply to any Gen 1 vehicles built before 2025.
Free Trial & Price
Rivian also shared that all Gen 2 owners will receive a free trial that includes these new features, hinting that they may soon start charging for their ADAS. Rivian has yet to announce pricing for their Autonomy Platform+ features, but to remain competitive we expect them to be similar to Tesla’s. Tesla currently costs $8,000 to buy FSD or $100 per month to subscribe to the service.
Liability
Liability is a major question when it comes to autonomy. While Rivian’s hands-free system will undoubtedly hold the driver responsible, the stakes change with an eyes-off system. Who assumes liability when the vehicle is fully autonomous? Will it be Rivian, or does responsibility still fall on the driver?
In Germany, Mercedes-Benz takes full liability when Drive Pilot is engaged within its strict operating conditions. As ADAS systems push closer to fully autonomous capabilities—Tesla’s FSD included—these questions become even more critical.
Regardless, 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Rivian with the launch of the hands-off feature many drivers have been waiting for. We’re eager to see how it performs and what other innovations Rivian has in store.
Every company has a logo—an emblem that instantly conveys its identity. These small yet powerful symbols often fade into the background, but they play a crucial role in branding.
Surprisingly, Rivian operated without a logo for a significant portion of its early years. When RJ Scaringe founded the company in 2009, there was no official emblem. It wasn’t until 2017 after Rivian acquired its manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, that the logo design process began. A year later, in 2018, Rivian’s now-iconic logo was unveiled to the public.
Rivian is built on the spirit of adventure, and its logo reflects that ethos. So grab your compass—and let’s explore the story behind the Rivian Compass.
The Compass
While some companies incorporate hidden meanings into their logos, Rivian’s design is more straightforward. Inspired by adventure, the Rivian logo features a distinctive squared-off compass, symbolizing the essence of adventure and exploration.
It represents the drive to go beyond the beaten path and forge new journeys where few have ventured. Just as the magnetic compass once revolutionized navigation, Rivian seeks to redefine how people explore today.
With its electric vehicles and cutting-edge technology, Rivian empowers people to experience the world sustainably and responsibly. By providing access to remote and wild places, Rivian inspires a deeper connection with nature and rekindles the thrill of adventure—something more essential than ever in today’s fast-paced world.
Breaking Down the Rivian Logo
Rivian’s logo features four arrows, each mirroring the many directions an adventure can take—north, south, east, west, and everywhere in between. It’s a visual commitment to exploration, reinforcing Rivian’s identity as the go-to EV brand for adventurers. With the R1S and R1T already among the best off-road vehicles available and the upcoming R2 and R3 promising to follow suit, that promise is well on its way.
According to Rivian, the outer north and south arrows symbolize their mission to make the world a better place through innovation and adventure, while the inner east and west arrows represent their goal to be both inspiring and inviting to everyone.
As Rivian puts it, a logo is more than just a design on a vehicle or a piece of swag—it’s a promise. A promise that no matter where your journey leads, Rivian will help point you in the right direction.
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