Rivian software to run Audi's EV lineup starting 2028

[captainjp]

https://www.autoblog.com/news/rivian-software-to-turbocharge-audis-ev-lineup-starting-2028

Summary as per ChatGPT:


What This Means for Audi Starting in 2028

• Audi will be the first VW Group brand to offer production models equipped with the full Rivian-developed software stack, expected to hit the market in 2028 .
• These debut models will be two all-new vehicles on a new platform—very likely Audi’s SSP modular architecture—and will serve as a testbed before rolling out the tech across Audi’s entire lineup .
• The Rivian software promises benefits across several dimensions:
  • Reduced complexity in development and vehicle systems
  • Faster, leaner R&D workflows
  • Built-in over-the-air (OTA) updates to add features and fix issues
  • Improved organizational efficiency through a software-defined architecture .
• 
  
• Audi’s design philosophy remains customer-focused: they will combine this digital architecture with tactile, physical controls—like fewer virtual buttons, more haptic feedback (“Audi click”)—paired with a central computing unit supplemented by zonal computers .

Context: Why This Matters

• The joint venture addresses VW’s long-standing struggles with its in-house software arm, Cariad, which has faced delays and setbacks. Rivian’s technology offers a faster, more scalable route to modern EV software architecture .
• Initial applications of the joint venture’s tech include Rivian’s R2 SUV (2026) and VW-branded models (as early as 2027) .
• According to Rivian’s Chief Software Officer, other automakers are already showing interest in licensing this architecture, indicating potential broader impact beyond VW Group .

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[COdogman]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a62279905/audi-q6-e-tron-sportback-dakar-spied/

 

[mkhuffman]

It probably means VW can't let Rivian fail. Which is good for us, as vehicle owners.

 

[Antonio]

This is great news! Can we have Audi take over Rivian's sound system? That is really the only thing I miss from my previous vehicle. I've never had a better sound system that the B&O I had in my prestige SQ5 that I sold after getting my Rivian.

Rivian, if you are listening. I was planning on trading my 2022 R1T Quad for the 2026 Quad, but, since I have the Meridian sound system (which is still nowhere near the B&O I had before), there is no way I would go to a car with the in house sound system. My wife's R1S has the in house sound system and I have to say it is just not what you would expect in a car at this price point.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

This is great news! Can we have Audi take over Rivian's sound system? That is really the only thing I miss from my previous vehicle. I've never had a better sound system that the B&O I had in my prestige SQ5 that I sold after getting my Rivian.

Rivian, if you are listening. I was planning on trading my 2022 R1T Quad for the 2026 Quad, but, since I have the Meridian sound system (which is still nowhere near the B&O I had before), there is no way I would go to a car with the in house sound system. My wife's R1S has the in house sound system and I have to say it is just not what you would expect in a car at this price point.

I had an SQ5 Sportback Prestige and I thought the B&O was good, but not as good as what's in my Rivian. I'm surprised you judge it as better.

 

[hammick]

Maybe Rivian can convince VW that it shouldn't take three years to make a change. Legacy auto are their own worst enemies.

 

[Time2Roll]

When reading the purchase contract I felt like I was buying the license to the protected software more than the actual vehicle.

 

[usulio]

When reading the purchase contract I felt like I was buying the license to the protected software more than the actual vehicle.

Ever since signing that I’ve said that Rivian thinks of itself as a software company and it explains quite a bit

 

[Joules Burn]

Does Audi know that they can't have an odometer or CarPlay?

 

[NeverFollow]

Don't let VW and Bosh then play with the Rivian software to make a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) version of it, which could be a possibility, and make another emissions-cheating Dieselgate !!! LoL

 

[captainjp]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a62279905/audi-q6-e-tron-sportback-dakar-spied/

The ground clearance on that thing… wowza

 

[COdogman]

The ground clearance on that thing… wowza

It’s purpose built for CO potholes

 

[VandalSibs]

Keep in mind that this is most likely just the underlying/behind-the-scenes software that controls the vehicle itself... anything user-facing may or may not still be designed by Audi. Everything about the joint venture between Rivian and VW has so far only been about the actual vehicle control software, and nothing that the driver actually interacts with.

 

[captainjp]

Keep in mind that this is most likely just the underlying/behind-the-scenes software that controls the vehicle itself... anything user-facing may or may not still be designed by Audi. Everything about the joint venture between Rivian and VW has so far only been about the actual vehicle control software, and nothing that the driver actually interacts with.

I personally would like to see Rivian’s interface, or perhaps a hybrid version of the two. Having owned multiple models of Audi since early 2000’s, I can say from my experience that Rivian’s HMI is far better than Audi’s MMI.

 

[VandalSibs]

Totally understandable..... but keep in mind that for manufacturers, the infotainment & dash is an aspect of their branding. They are going to want more control over that. Rivian might be able to provide the bones, but Audi/VW etc are going to want their spin on it so that it still feels of their ethos.

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