When will Rivian admit that avoiding AA/Carplay is not about providing "better" UX?

[Replika]

I’ve been meaning to look into the actual CarPlay computer units OEMs purchase for their vehicles. Reason being I have owned numerous CarPlay vehicles and half of them had perpetually unreliable connections. That really soured me for it in general.

Peak design makes an awesome phone vent mount which I just picked up for my non-Rivian vehicle. After getting over the shock of having a phone mount in a premium vehicle, I found that I really dig this solution.

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[TexasBob]

I find the anti CarPlay people to be something else.

Actively hoping that Rivian continues to reduce functionality by refusing to add a feature that a large percentage of current and potential owners want, just so they could be proven right. It would literally be an icon on the bottom of the screen if you choose not to use it.

Rivian even admitted it would be easy to add but thinks they can do navigation and UI better than Apple and Google.

I am not an "anti-Carplay" person. But I spent the past couple days using it (and expecting I would love it) and it is garbage. So on the relative list of priorities for Rivian, I would say that based on my experience this comes in dead last. I would like to know what it is about this software that you like. I mean, yes, the Toyota software is totally, awful junk. It always has been (way back when I had a 2005 Prius and still today with the embarrassing 2023 Camry). For them, it makes sense to add AA and CP because they obviously cannot build software. But for companies that can build software (and obviously RIvian can), why would you step a decade into the past?

 

[COdogman]

No drop in demand for a car that’s not out yet?

Yes, you are aware of the reservation and pre order process? It’s a common metric of interest for vehicles. There are threads here about it and many articles out there in a place called the internet.

If they have not seen a bunch of canceled preorders or drop in new preorders it’s possible (hear me out on this) that not quite as many people are addicted to CP/AA as you think. I know it’s shocking…

 

[NineElectrics]

I am not an "anti-Carplay" person. But I spent the past couple days using it (and expecting I would love it) and it is garbage. So on the relative list of priorities for Rivian, I would say that based on my experience this comes in dead last. I would like to know what it is about this software that you like. I mean, yes, the Toyota software is totally, awful junk. It always has been (way back when I had a 2005 Prius and still today with the embarrassing 2023 Camry). For them, it makes sense to add AA and CP because they obviously cannot build software. But for companies that can build software (and obviously RIvian can), why would you step a decade into the past?

Have you used the Rivian nav.? It literally screws up the route to the airport. The AIRPORT.

 

[teddyang]

Have you used the Rivian nav.? It literally screws up the route to the airport. The AIRPORT.

i have...it's navigated me fine to multiple airports around me just fine.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Yes, you are aware of the reservation and pre order process? It’s a common metric of interest for vehicles. There are threads here about it and many articles out there in a place called the internet.

If they have not seen a bunch of canceled preorders or drop in new preorders it’s possible (hear me out on this) that not quite as many people are addicted to CP/AA as you think. I know it’s shocking…

I really liked AA in my Bolt. The alternative was having no native mapping system. I had an iPad mount in my Cruze because I used to use Waze pretty regularly back then. My Camaro had a crappy infotainment system that didn't support mirroring and I ended up running Waze on my phone in a cupholder most of the time. For long trips I would have a phone mounted on the windshield, but with how small the windshield is on the Camaro, It sucked.

AAOS in the Polestar 2 was eye opening in how a native system can function. Rivian has some ways to go with maps compared to how well Google maps works in AAOS but it's far from being dysfunctional. I would definitely argue that AA and CP are useful to have for a rental vehicle if they don't have performance issues with mirroring, because some of the OEM systems are absolutely terrible and non-intuitive, but I would not lump the Rivian system in with those. Plus it's a vehicle I have an opportunity to get familiar with anyway.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Have you used the Rivian nav.? It literally screws up the route to the airport. The AIRPORT.

If carplay told you to drive off a bridge, would you? Airports have really good signage. All you have to do is get close to them and stop paying attention to the GPS.

 

[TexasBob]

Have you used the Rivian nav.? It literally screws up the route to the airport. The AIRPORT.

nope. If Rivian sucks on mapping, it needs to partner with google or TomTom etc. to get that fixed. I have no experience on Rivian software other than a single ~15 mile journey. I was impressed with what I saw, but did not have a chance to test features.

If the argument is that "some of Rivian's features are so awful that even CarPlay would be better," then I defer to the current Rivian drivers' experience on that.

 

[lefkonj]

The real reason they are not going to do this integration is because from the very start, and all along the idea has ALWAYS been to supplement revenue with recurring software fees. Rivian "Membership".

Awesome so you are paying extra for services on your Rivian UI? Wow you must be special. Come on, I want CarPlay just as much as the next person but there is zero evidence they want to make money off not having it.

 

[Prius]

Yes, you are aware of the reservation and pre order process? It’s a common metric of interest for vehicles. There are threads here about it and many articles out there in a place called the internet.

If they have not seen a bunch of canceled preorders or drop in new preorders it’s possible (hear me out on this) that not quite as many people are addicted to CP/AA as you think. I know it’s shocking…

The only thing I see when I look up GM and CarPlay are articles about customer complaints. Perhaps you’ve been reading something else. Can you share?

 

[Prius]

If carplay told you to drive off a bridge, would you? Airports have really good signage. All you have to do is get close to them and stop paying attention to the GPS.

There you go, no need for GPS, just use signs.

Rivian should advertise this feature and call it the Rivian Signage Network.

 

[Prius]

I am not an "anti-Carplay" person. But I spent the past couple days using it (and expecting I would love it) and it is garbage. So on the relative list of priorities for Rivian, I would say that based on my experience this comes in dead last. I would like to know what it is about this software that you like. I mean, yes, the Toyota software is totally, awful junk. It always has been (way back when I had a 2005 Prius and still today with the embarrassing 2023 Camry). For them, it makes sense to add AA and CP because they obviously cannot build software. But for companies that can build software (and obviously RIvian can), why would you step a decade into the past?

Bob there are Rivian owners who want CarPlay after using Rivian’s infotainment, myself included.

For those that do not want CarPlay, they can continue to use Rivian’s in house solution unabated.

For everyone else, we’d like a feature offered in 90% of new vehicles sold.

 

[Prius]

should i start a thread demanding that they also work on getting windows 11 to work on the main screen? /s

Go ahead and see how much traction you get. There’s a lot of demand for CarPlay in Rivian.

 

[SANZC02]

Have you used the Rivian nav.? It literally screws up the route to the airport. The AIRPORT.

Just thinking, maybe you should tell it what airport, there is more than 1.

I picked my R1S up in Normal and did an east coast loop back to CA, 5k miles and even navigated to the Pensacola, FL airport with no issues. Also navigated to my buddies house in the backroads of southeast MA that was in a neighborhood only 2 years old.

The guess-o-meter for miles left when getting to the programmed destination using the Rivian navigation is also amazingly accurate.

 

[State11]

You're comments are also getting old. I don't know what shit system you used CarPlay on, but on my MINI it was always fast and flawless...in fact, it was faster than the built in system for mapping. When will you stop jumping on everyone and recognize that maybe people want/like things you don't. Just drop it already...maybe you should move on.

I had it on a Discovery and multiple rental cars.....and I just don't understand why people would want CarPlay. I actually have a Rivian unlike the OP and MUCH prefer it vs the CarPlay. Maybe I've got low expectations, but the CarPlay has made me want to punch the screen and I have never felt that way in the Rivian.

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