Rivian’s engineering teams have been hard at work on the R2 for quite some time now. One of their primary goals - to reduce per-unit cost of the drive units.
The new Maximus drive unit uses some interesting techniques to help reduce costs and build on lessons learned from the R1 Series Enduro units.
Improvements All Around
The first improvement is in the stator windings. The stators are a critical component of an electric motor, and reducing the number of welds inside the stator is a key to reducing overall cost. The new Maximus drive unit uses a new continuous winding technology, reducing the total welds per stator from 264 on the Enduro to just 24 on the Maximus.
Rivian has also worked to consolidate and reduce the number of physical parts in the R2. Their second development on this front is integrating the rotor shaft and the gear into a single forged component, which is CNC milled. Of course, that’s not all - they also reduced the number of bearings.
Overall, that’s a fantastic set of improvements to help reduce the cost - and weight - of the upcoming R2’s new Maximus drive unit. The R2’s launch will be Rivian’s Model 3 moment - it will be the mass-adoptable mid-size vehicle that many are interested in. As such, driving down costs per unit is key.
The new single-piece rotor shaft and gear.
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Coming to R1S & R1T?
The next question is: Will these improvements make their way to the R1S and R1T? It seems likely in the future—but not immediately. These improvements are set to greatly reduce Rivian’s per-vehicle costs, which will also help increase profit margins.
While Rivian did—for the first time—have a profitable quarter in Q4 2024, they’re still teetering on the edge of profitability. Sharing as many parts between the R2 and R1 vehicles makes a lot of sense, and you can bet Rivian will take advantage of that if they can.
Rivian’s focus is on the R2 launch, so it may take some time before they shift attention back to the R1 series and implement these cost-saving improvements. When Rivian finally introduces Gen 2.5 of the R1S and R1T, we may see other improvements taken from the R2 besides this improved drive unit.
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Rivian’s iconic Gear Guard Gary, is more than just a playful mascot – he’s there to keep a watchful eye over your Rivian and the stuff inside. Born from the desire to combine security with a sense of fun, Gear Guard Gary (GGG) has become a symbol of Rivian’s security feature — Gear Guard.
Gary is a lovable and friendly Yeti decked out in a headband, puffy jacket, and boots. When Gear Guard is active on your Rivian, you’ll see his friendly face pop up on the main screen, letting you know he’s keeping a vigilant eye over your vehicle.
For Quad-Max models, Gary makes an even bigger statement. He’s featured as a badge on the rear of the tailgate, proudly marking your vehicle as a flagship model.
But how did Gary come to life? Was he a spontaneous idea, or does he have a deeper backstory? Grab your gear and join us as we venture into the origins of this lovable Yeti.
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The Creator of Gear Guard Gary
Foster Huntington is the artist behind Gary, who created the character specifically for Rivian. Foster is a photographer and filmmaker and is currently working on a children’s cartoon that is similar in style to Gear Guard Gary. While Gary hasn’t made an appearance in any episodes yet, his character aligns with Huntington’s ongoing projects, and one of his popular series, Carl the Collector, is currently airing on PBS Kids in both the United States and Canada.
Gary also stars in his own adorable stop-motion film, which premiered at the South Coast Theatre in Laguna Beach. Rivian restored this historic California venue, transforming it into a space for independent films, art workshops, and beach excursions.
The stop-motion film itself is a delightful story. It features an R1T stopping at a small gas station and cafe, where the driver and passenger step out to grab some supplies for the road. With Gear Guard active, he secures his gear in the truck bed using the Gear Guard Security Cable.
The plot takes a turn when a masked robber shows up, only for Gary to greet him with a hug and a friendly wave. When the driver and passenger return, everything is just as they left it, and their adventure continues without a hitch.
Gary’s charm and friendly demeanor shine through as he’s portrayed as a happy companion, always keeping your belongings safe while enjoying the adventure right alongside you.
Gary’s Origin
Rivian’s focus on user experience is where Gary, the lovable Gear Guard character, was born. While Rivian officially refers to him simply as “Gear Guard,” the Rivian community has affectionately named him Gary and the name has stuck.
Gary came into being as part of the playful and fun nature of the Gear Guard system. Initially, Rivian wasn’t sure what form he would take — whether he would be an amorphous blob, have horns, or stretch out with long arms.
Ultimately, Gary represents the unique qualities of the Gear Guard system. He’s smart, non-aggressive, and provides a sense of deterrence. The system is designed to protect both your Rivian and your belongings, all while staying true to Rivian’s adventurous spirit. When Gear Guard is active, Gary appears on the screen, monitoring the surroundings with his camera. When it’s off, he takes a little nap on the screen instead.
Gary’s main purpose is to bring a smile to people’s faces, especially kids. Rivian’s goal is to offer peace of mind — allowing people to enjoy nature and their adventures without worrying about their gear back in the truck.
Gear Guard Gary Easter Egg
If you lock the rear screen in the vehicle, Gary can be summoned by simply tapping on the screen. It’s a simple easter egg, but it’s worth seeing. He’s friendly, cute, and happy to entertain little ones on the rear screen while the screen is off-limits.
Gary Plush
If you’re craving even more Gear Guard Gary, Rivian has you covered with an adorable plush. These plushies are quite popular and often sell out, so be sure to snag one before they’re gone.
The plushie measures about 14” in length and 8” in width with his arms by his sides. He’s dressed in his signature outfit, complete with a headband, jacket, shorts, and boots. While the shorts are removable, the jacket is stitched in place but can be easily removed by undoing the stitching. The headband and boots are not removable.
Rivian has paid close attention to detail, even adding the Rivian logo on the chest of his red fall jacket.
The Gary Plush is well designed and super tough! Maybe not dog-chew-toy-tough, but tough enough for your kids.
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.
