My thoughts on NOT having CarPlay

[defcon888]

Last week I drove our Rav4 Prime to work instead of the R1T. I love the way the Rav4 drives and handles....but I digress.

I was one of those proponents of "When is Rivian going to get CarPlay (or Android Auto)?". After driving the RAV4 Prime that has CarPlay, I truly missed my Rivian navigation and interface. The only.....ONLY things I use CarPlay for is:

1. Spotify
2. WAZE (or Apple and Google Maps).
3. Messages/messaging

On the Rivian, I like the way Spotify displays better than on CarPlay, and as far as WAZE not being on the Rivian.....as much as I like the "crowd" sourced information and the ability to log police, hazards etc.......I didn't miss it per see. I do with Rivian would either drop MapBox or demand better data.

In the event that I would need to find a charging station, the rating as well as the choice selector in the Rivian is just as good as Plug-Share. I do like PLug-Share for PLANNING our road trips, but I will use the webpage for all that.

What I wish for Rivian's infotainment system:

1. The ability to link Spotify to the user that gets in the vehicle first. As it is now, I have to log my wife out or vice versa and then we have to log into our accounts. My wife and I have totally different tastes in music.

2. Being able to move the Spotify play screen to the driver's side....makes it easier to navigate music or podcasts.

3. Since Rivian owns ABRP (A Better Route Planner), it would be nice to be able to plan a trip on the webpage and then push it to the vehicle. I know we can odd stops on app and push it that way, but having big 27" monitors and being able to see more area, is nice for planning.

4. It would be nice to be able to see messages and play them (like in CarPlay). I have read that this is coming sOOn.

I think some of the above 4 is doable from Rivian.

Again, I am not one of those "unless Rivian adds CP, I am...........".For those that bought our R1s knew all this prior, so we either have to live with it or get a 3rd part additional screen.

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[COdogman]

It's personal preference obviously, but I always felt many of the apps integrated into CarPlay weren't that useful, or the implementation was so bad that it was basically useless. I pretty much only used it for maps and Waze. I have never liked sending texts while driving so I never really tried the messaging feature.

Definitely don't need a Dunkin Donuts or Dominos Pizza app

 

[brancky3]

Aesthetically CarPlay won't look very good, especially since the Rivian screen is ~104% larger than the Rav4 Prime. Unless they can run it in a window, which then would require a lot of development / etc to fill the rest of the screen.

 

[KBabione]

I too have come around...I don't need CarPlay, but I would LOVE a native Waze app - especially after driving 3 hours on July 4th and seeing about a dozen state troopers (PA, NJ, and NY) on the road. I'd happily use the Rivian Nav app for planning charging stops (and have it up on the driver's screen) if I could have Waze running on the big screen.

 

[White Shadow]

Yet another thread on CP/AA.....just helps prove that Rivian should offer it. This comes up time and time again and the fact of the matter is that the majority wants it. So if it never comes to Rivian, that's fine, but it will most definitely cost them sales because there are people out there that simply will not do without it. But I'm sure Rivian will still attract plenty of people who just don't care.

 

[White Shadow]

I too have come around...I don't need CarPlay, but I would LOVE a native Waze app - especially after driving 3 hours on July 4th and seeing about a dozen state troopers (PA, NJ, and NY) on the road. I'd happily use the Rivian Nav app for planning charging stops (and have it up on the driver's screen) if I could have Waze running on the big screen.

I absolutely rely on Waze for every road trip I take. I like to drive faster than average speeds, so Waze to me is about a hundred times better than having a radar detector.

 

[KBabione]

I absolutely rely on Waze for every road trip I take. I like to drive faster than average speeds, so Waze to me is about a hundred times better than having a radar detector.

I'm with you 100% - posted speed limits are "suggestions" more than "limits" and Waze has never let me down. I even bought the EV Sportline extra screen last November but it's still unused and sitting it it's box - my wife (it's clearly HER R1S) will not let me install it! "Rivian spent millions on design teams to give the interior the cleanest look possible and I will NOT have you put some cockamamie extra screen in my truck!"

So - what used to consistently be a 3-hour drive to her parents has become a 3.5 hour drive because I won't go more than 11 MPH over the speed limit. At least her parents (who don't have an EV) put in a L2 charger for us to take out some of the sting.

 

[White Shadow]

I'm with you 100% - posted speed limits are "suggestions" more than "limits" and Waze has never let me down. I even bought the EV Sportline extra screen last November but it's still unused and sitting it it's box - my wife (it's clearly HER R1S) will not let me install it! "Rivian spent millions on design teams to give the interior the cleanest look possible and I will NOT have you put some cockamamie extra screen in my truck!"

So - what used to consistently be a 3-hour drive to her parents has become a 3.5 hour drive because I won't go more than 11 MPH over the speed limit. At least her parents (who don't have an EV) put in a L2 charger for us to take out some of the sting.

Maybe set up your phone for now? Definitely not ideal, but still better than nothing.

 

[defcon888]

Yet another thread on CP/AA.....just helps prove that Rivian should offer it. This comes up time and time again and the fact of the matter is that the majority wants it. So if it never comes to Rivian, that's fine, but it will most definitely cost them sales because there are people out there that simply will not do without it. But I'm sure Rivian will still attract plenty of people who just don't care.

Actually I don't think they need to offer it. If they can strike a deal with Google to port WAZE over to their console I think that would be a game changer. Most people that do use Carplay I would venture a guess mainly use it for the navigation. Rivian could do better with the navigation and drop MapBox and get something else.

If people don't buy a vehicle because it doesn't have Carplay, then those people are limited in their thinking. My main reason to starting this post was to give a perspective of not missing CP. I was in the "Must have CP" camp, but I am ok if they never add it.....if they do get it some day.....awesome.....if not.....meh.

I would suggest listening to the "Out of Spec. Podcast" when they talk about the different OS's the EV's use......extremely informative.

 

[Riv E In]

I'm with you 100% - posted speed limits are "suggestions" more than "limits" and Waze has never let me down. I even bought the EV Sportline extra screen last November but it's still unused and sitting it it's box - my wife (it's clearly HER R1S) will not let me install it! "Rivian spent millions on design teams to give the interior the cleanest look possible and I will NOT have you put some cockamamie extra screen in my truck!"

So - what used to consistently be a 3-hour drive to her parents has become a 3.5 hour drive because I won't go more than 11 MPH over the speed limit. At least her parents (who don't have an EV) put in a L2 charger for us to take out some of the sting.

Call me crazy but on trips I’ve started using the Rivian nav then also firing up Waze on my phone, set to Alerts Only audio, on the wireless charger.

Get all the benefits of both. Not ideal, but it works for me.

 

[Jiji]

Today I decided to try the Rivian nav while alone to get directions. No way to speak my destination, can’t really type it in search while driving so just have to ask Siri and

Please don’t say I could use Alexa (not going to happen) for this even if it can do it. CarPlay is not a zero sum game, no one ‘loses’ anything when CarPlay is available and I‘ll be the judge if it doesn't work with the big display, you won’t care if you don’t use it.

And my Rivian FM reception flat out sucks, I need to use the phone radio apps on my iPhone even when I am in reception range. Plenty of useful CarPlay-compatible apps that add value for me.

I see the Rivian updates having fewer and fewer new features and value, maybe they are focused on R2/R3 and the R1 Gen1 is just an afterthought. CarPlay/AA is perhaps the one major feature they could add and get a large portion of the base to take notice. Just my 2¢.

 

[Chewy734]

It's personal preference obviously, but I always felt many of the apps integrated into CarPlay weren't that useful, or the implementation was so bad that it was basically useless. I pretty much only used it for maps and Waze. I have never liked sending texts while driving so I never really tried the messaging feature.

Definitely don't need a Dunkin Donuts or Dominos Pizza app

Oh please… don’t act like you’re not all about ? and ?.

 

[Davethadog]

My favorite part about using CarPlay is how google maps tells me to go the most efficient route on roads that are open.

 

[Hereforthesnacks]

Just have both systems as an option. Not sure why that is polarizing.

 

[hekhl00]

It's all about content for me. The Rivian UI is nice and pretty but it will never have the content of CP. How many new apps have we received since the Rivian was released? I can only think of Tidal. At that pace hell will freeze over before Rivian has anywhere near the content of CP. But RJ has put the stake in the ground and I never see him relenting.

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