CarPlay discussion with Rivian CS: company is working with Apple and it's a priority

[moosehead]

If this is true, just wait until RJ finds out about this leak and who leaked this - things are really going to blow up inside Rivian!

I heard Tony Carvano will be announcing it in this Friday's Email update.

Sponsored

 

[mabowden]

I'm not so sure about that. If you look at what Amazon has done rather than what they say, it's clear Alexa isn't a priority for them anymore. Amazon just had the largest layoff in their history and the Alexa team was cut way back. Putting Alexa in a Rivian doesn't help them sell Prime subscriptions like their displays do and they have no alternative to AA/CP so what's the point of insisting on Alexa exclusivity?

On the Rivian side, all the layoffs happened in Irvine and word is the software team took a big hit. It's all well and good for Rivian to say they want to keep their software completely in house but they're cutting everything they can to keep costs down. Spending a fortune on a custom navigation and infotainment system doesn't improve their margins or get vehicles out the door any faster. Compared to building a competitive software stack on their own, adding CP/AA should be a cakewalk. Rivian may have realized they simply don't have the resources to do it on their own in a reasonable timeframe. I still doubt they're going to add it but I wouldn't be surprised. They have so much on their plate already, I can imagine them waving the white flag on CP/AA, especially since every single competitor (other than the Cybertruck) on the horizon also offers CP/AA.

I've been saying the same for over a year.

It must cost them a fortune, comparatively, to add one app to Rivian OS compared to just adding CP and letting CP add apps.

 

[HighVoltOverland]

What will these forums have to complain about now??

Manual Tonneau

 

[Trandall]

What will these forums have to complain about now??

Maybe I'll complain that they prioritized CP over a native internet browser/ search engine so I can watch endless you tube reviews of Rivians while I sit in my R1T. Better yet maybe they will give us Netflix compatibility so we can start a 56 page thread about why they didn't choose Hulu or (insert preferred streaming service here).

 

[avigneault]

Maybe they'll announce Android Auto and not CarPlay... I'd laugh, and laugh...

 

[deathernater]

Just wrote to my guide and he shot me down.

What a missed opportunity. When are they going to learn. I bet AA support will boost them significantly in terms of desirability and sales.

 

[Zoidz]

Apple CarPlay is coming eventually. They just have to make the deal. Apple doesn't make it easy on anyone.

I don't think there's a "deal" to be made. It's widely reported that Apple does not charge a licensing fee to car manufacturers to implement CP. It seems like the biggest hurdle for RIvian is validating that they meet the hardware requirements, especially when Rivian did not plan on Car Play originally. In theory, any app can run on CP, but Apple limits it via an app review and CP entitlement token for common sense driver safety reasons.

 

[frostbit3]

Just wrote to my guide and he shot me down.

What a missed opportunity. When are they going to learn. I bet AA support will boost them significantly in terms of desirability and sales.

Don't worry, I'm sure texting and calendar integration is coming s00n. Hey it only took Tesla 7.5 years from Apple Music's launch for Tesla to implement it, so we have many more years of waiting and being told that "the integrated platform is the better path" all while we all debate the best method of how to mount our phones. Good plan

 

[mabowden]

Manual Tonneau

Yeah! WHERE THE HELL IS MY MANUAL TONNEAU?

 

[SASSquatch]

I think that if Bezos/Amazon cared about this that much, then Alexa integration wouldn't suck and at the VERY LEAST we'd have a native Amazon Music app since Amazon doesn't own Spotify, Tidal, or Tune-In.

No argument there and I'd expect a native Amazon Music app to come in time. That seems a higher likelihood than AA/CP.

 

[SASSquatch]

I'm not so sure about that. If you look at what Amazon has done rather than what they say, it's clear Alexa isn't a priority for them anymore. Amazon just had the largest layoff in their history and the Alexa team was cut way back. Putting Alexa in a Rivian doesn't help them sell Prime subscriptions like their displays do and they have no alternative to AA/CP so what's the point of insisting on Alexa exclusivity?

On the Rivian side, all the layoffs happened in Irvine and word is the software team took a big hit. It's all well and good for Rivian to say they want to keep their software completely in house but they're cutting everything they can to keep costs down. Spending a fortune on a custom navigation and infotainment system doesn't improve their margins or get vehicles out the door any faster. Compared to building a competitive software stack on their own, adding CP/AA should be a cakewalk. Rivian may have realized they simply don't have the resources to do it on their own in a reasonable timeframe. I still doubt they're going to add it but I wouldn't be surprised. They have so much on their plate already, I can imagine them waving the white flag on CP/AA, especially since every single competitor (other than the Cybertruck) on the horizon also offers CP/AA.

All of your points are valid. My issue is that AA/CP is a competitor to the Amazon platform, even if that platform hasn't been developed as much as it could be. My suspicion is that Rivian had their hands tied when Amazon came to the table to invest.

 

[COdogman]

Just wrote to my guide and he shot me down.

What a missed opportunity. When are they going to learn. I bet AA support will boost them significantly in terms of desirability and sales.

 

[ironpig]

I don't think there's a "deal" to be made. It's widely reported that Apple does not charge a licensing fee to car manufacturers to implement CP. It seems like the biggest hurdle for RIvian is validating that they meet the hardware requirements, especially when Rivian did not plan on Car Play originally. In theory, any app can run on CP, but Apple limits it via an app review and CP entitlement token for common sense driver safety reasons.

Semantics. "deal", "validation" etc. Apple has to approve the way they implement it, but CarPlay is coming to Rivian.

 

[RBR1S]

Honestly that's just a hateful position to take.

Even if you had it, you don't have to use it.

You're right. I hate carplay

And I'd rather not have it. If you want it, you can buy it and love it all you want

 

[fotoflux]

Just wrote to my guide and he shot me down.

What a missed opportunity. When are they going to learn. I bet AA support will boost them significantly in terms of desirability and sales.

Well, the funny part about major shifts in strategy, the last people to know are always the folks the interact with customers directly. So I wouldn't put to much faith in what the CS agent said. We'll know about CarPlay support being added as soon as the Guides and CS officially know (probably right after OTA release notes are published stating that CarPlay support has been added)

Sponsored