Rivian Switching from Alexa to Google Gemini - Bringing Voice / Text Integration (reported by RivianTracker)

[cohall]

UPDATED with screenshots by @MountainBikeDude

I've actually known about this for a few months now. There was a bit of a glitch in the 2025.18 (June) software that allowed me to access some of it's beta integration. I gave Rivian the heads up at the time so they could sort the bug.



It shows text message handling capability being offered as part of the Gemini integration. I had figured the feature would have been out by now, but I'm sure there were still some integration issues to work around. Alexa was a decent middle ground, but not capable of the things Rivian was trying to implement going forward.

ORIGINAL POST

No sources given, but his info is almost always accurate. Good news for those who don't like Alexa, or those waiting for text integration. (and could explain why the text feature hasn't been rolled out yet)

https://riviantrackr.com/news/rivia...oogle-gemini-for-upcoming-ai-voice-assistant/

Rivian is reportedly gearing up to roll out a brand-new AI-powered in-vehicle assistant, and this time it’s coming from Google. Sources say the company is transitioning away from Amazon’s Alexa platform and moving toward Google’s Gemini AI as its primary voice assistant partner.

This marks a big shift for Rivian’s connected vehicle experience. The automaker will use Google Cloud as the backbone for its upcoming AI voice system, integrating Gemini’s capabilities directly into its in-vehicle software. While official details are still under wraps, early reports suggest that the new assistant will finally bring one of the most requested features among Rivian owners: text messaging integration.

Rivian owners have long wanted a seamless way to send and receive messages through the infotainment system, and Gemini’s natural-language capabilities could make that possible. Beyond messaging, it’s likely that we’ll see expanded in-vehicle commands powered by Google possibly controlling navigation, climate, music, and even smart home devices through the same interface.

Credit to RivianTracker

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[VandalSibs]

Wonder how much data will have to end up going to Google the text message functionality... Granted, I use a Pixel 9a so it's reading all of my text messages anyway, but if I have to speak to my truck just to read an incoming text message, that would suck. Hopefully I can just press a button to have it pop up.

Also hope RCS messages work properly too - I remember when Tesla first did text messages in-vehicle, it would read out the all the code for a RCS message instead of the message itself. It took a while for it to shut up....

 

[gerrylum]

Curious if this will be on Gen 1 as well, or a Gen 2-only feature.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

Wonder how much data will have to end up going to Google the text message functionality... Granted, I use a Pixel 9a so it's reading all of my text messages anyway, but if I have to speak to my truck just to read an incoming text message, that would suck. Hopefully I can just press a button to have it pop up.

Also hope RCS messages work properly too - I remember when Tesla first did text messages in-vehicle, it would read out the all the code for a RCS message instead of the message itself. It took a while for it to shut up....

Yeah I'd really like to be able to get the text integration without driving around with a Google spy in the car with me at all times.

 

[godfodder0901]

Curious if this will be on Gen 1 as well, or a Gen 2-only feature.

I would hope it's both, since the infotainment stack is nearly identical, but it is Rivian...

 

[godfodder0901]

Yeah I'd really like to be able to get the text integration without driving around with a Google spy in the car with me at all times.

It uses Google Maps, so you already do.

 

[Closedquestion]

Traded my R1T in on a Silverado EV a week and half ago. The Rivian was first vehicle in a long time that did not have text integration. I forgot how handy it was this last week and half getting and replying to texts. SEV uses Google Built In and Gemini and has been pretty handy. No CarPlay though, and it is a constant topic over on the SEV forums as well.

 

[Mellowyellow]

This is exciting. I have Alexa completely turned off; she was too frustrating to use.

PLEASE let this come to Gen1 trucks!

 

[CrazyOne]

Amazon fired/reallocated most of Alexa team around 2022/2023. It used to be the best assistant and now, it's the worst.

 

[Scottski]

Amazon fired/reallocated most of Alexa team around 2022/2023. It used to be the best assistant and now, it's the worst.

Siri would like to have a word.... haha

 

[electruck]

Hopefully that doesn't also bring the end of support for Amazon Music. There is no reason it should have to but we just don't have any confirmed facts yet.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

It uses Google Maps, so you already do.

I don't care so much about whether Google knows where I go, it already does from my phone. It's more the constant listening thing which is why I have Gemini etc turned off on all of my mobile devices. If you have to have it enabled in the vehicle for text messaging, that would be a shame IMO.

 

[gerrylum]

Hopefully that doesn't also bring the end of support for Amazon Music. There is no reason it should have to but we just don't have any confirmed facts yet.

It's criminal there's no native Amazon Music app yet.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I don't care so much about whether Google knows where I go, it already does from my phone. It's more the constant listening thing which is why I have Gemini etc turned off on all of my mobile devices. If you have to have it enabled in the vehicle for text messaging, that would be a shame IMO.

Google's already eavesdropping on you from all the other people's phones that have it enabled.

 

[electruck]

It's criminal there's no native Amazon Music app yet.

I am near 100% of the time just telling Alexa to "Play my music" when we get in the vehicle which I think plays the "My Soundtrack" station. Once in a blue moon my wife or I will ask for a specific song but, in my case, we'd never use the full up app if it existed. But maybe with Alexa going away they will finally introduce a dedicated app (assuming they retain support for Amazon Music).

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