Moving from Ford Lightning to Dual R1T….a few questions

[TheMac]

After serval months of thought post Ford announcing the cancellation of the Lightning I decided to pull the trigger and order an R1T yesterday. Completed all the required docs and trade in photos today and now awaiting date for pickup.

Ordered the 2026 Dual R1T in Forest Green with Performance Upgrade and the Sound and Vision Package.

Love the way the Lightning drives and having test drove the R1T love it too.

So two questions:

1) Anything I should specifically change in R1T default setup via the UX on screen options?

2) Do all owners get OTA software updates at same time or is it random, spread out over months? This was the case with the Lightning and it was really frustrating!

Thanks for any help. Really looking forward to getting the delivery date and picking it up.

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[Yellow Buddy]

After serval months of thought post Ford announcing the cancellation of the Lightning I decided to pull the trigger and order an R1T yesterday. Completed all the required docs and trade in photos today and now awaiting date for pickup.

Ordered the 2026 Dual R1T in Forest Green with Performance Upgrade and the Sound and Vision Package.

Love the way the Lightning drives and having test drove the R1T love it too.

So two questions:

1) Anything I should specifically change in R1T default setup via the UX on screen options?

2) Do all owners get OTA software updates at same time or is it random, spread out over months? This was the case with the Lightning and it was really frustrating!

Thanks for any help. Really looking forward to getting the delivery date and picking it up.

I had a Pro and a Lariat.

1) Everything. The car will walk you through a lot of it vs the Lightning leaves you to figure it all out.

2) Deployment is spread out but we’re talking days to weeks not months like Ford. Some randomness to it, priority given to subscribers for production deployments. Beta testers actually get software in advance where as Ford didn’t. Significantly more consistent than on the Lightning.

 

[amcg3]

After serval months of thought post Ford announcing the cancellation of the Lightning I decided to pull the trigger and order an R1T yesterday. Completed all the required docs and trade in photos today and now awaiting date for pickup.

Ordered the 2026 Dual R1T in Forest Green with Performance Upgrade and the Sound and Vision Package.

Love the way the Lightning drives and having test drove the R1T love it too.

So two questions:

1) Anything I should specifically change in R1T default setup via the UX on screen options?

2) Do all owners get OTA software updates at same time or is it random, spread out over months? This was the case with the Lightning and it was really frustrating!

Thanks for any help. Really looking forward to getting the delivery date and picking it up.

After serval months of thought post Ford announcing the cancellation of the Lightning I decided to pull the trigger and order an R1T yesterday. Completed all the required docs and trade in photos today and now awaiting date for pickup.

Ordered the 2026 Dual R1T in Forest Green with Performance Upgrade and the Sound and Vision Package.

Love the way the Lightning drives and having test drove the R1T love it too.

So two questions:

1) Anything I should specifically change in R1T default setup via the UX on screen options?

2) Do all owners get OTA software updates at same time or is it random, spread out over months? This was the case with the Lightning and it was really frustrating!

Thanks for any help. Really looking forward to getting the delivery date and picking it up.

s

I had a Pro and a Lariat.

1) Everything. The car will walk you through a lot of it vs the Lightning leaves you to figure it all out.

2) Deployment is spread out but we’re talking days to weeks not months like Ford. Some randomness to it, priority given to subscribers for production deployments. Beta testers actually get software in advance where as Ford didn’t. Significantly more consistent than on the Lightning.

Not a prev lightning owner but a prev Mach e owner. Barely got software updates with Mach e. With the Rivian, we get updates regularly, usually 3 days after they announce it. We programmed the car to uodate at a certain time and only at home. Congrats

 

[Mellowyellow]

It’s the return of the Mac!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

After serval months of thought post Ford announcing the cancellation of the Lightning I decided to pull the trigger and order an R1T yesterday. Completed all the required docs and trade in photos today and now awaiting date for pickup.

Ordered the 2026 Dual R1T in Forest Green with Performance Upgrade and the Sound and Vision Package.

Love the way the Lightning drives and having test drove the R1T love it too.

So two questions:

1) Anything I should specifically change in R1T default setup via the UX on screen options?

2) Do all owners get OTA software updates at same time or is it random, spread out over months? This was the case with the Lightning and it was really frustrating!

Thanks for any help. Really looking forward to getting the delivery date and picking it up.

Set regen on high. More consistent and confidence inspiring. The rest, don’t worry about it. You’ll figure out your personal preferences eventually. Read the owner guide. OTAs are never pushed all at once. That’s the worst thing to do to deploy updates. Rivianroamer.com has an excellent comprehensive guide on how it works. In short, again, don’t worry about it. Everyone gets updates eventually. Your car drives and works before and after. You are not missing out if you get it later than someone else. There is no race and there are no prizes. Linking your account to rivianroamer (even the non-subscription) gives you an email notification the moment your car is flagged for updates. Otherwise, everything happens in the background: if parked and connected to reliable WiFi, your R1 will automatically proceed with download, then notify you via Rivian mobile app to install (if auto install option is not enabled). If not connected, your R1 will eventually download through its own LTE connection (slower than WiFi). If you enable auto install, short of connectivity error, everything will be done for you.

Update process and rivianroamer has been discussed many times. Check out forum search.

https://rivianroamer.com/guides

 

[Harvest]

I agree with others you don't need to worry about the updates, and that it seems like everyone gets most updates within a few days or at most a week of each other. I also agree with setting the regen braking to high, it takes maybe a day to get used to it. Other settings that I would recommend are keeping it in all purpose mode for every day driving but for a longer highway trip switch to conserve, which will give another 8-10% more range. You can keep it in conserve but there seems to be evidence that will wear the tires faster. The user interface for the touch screen is quite good and keeps getting better, so enjoy!

 

[R1TCntrlMaIzzy]

Welcome.

Enjoy the ride/adventure!!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I agree with others you don't need to worry about the updates, and that it seems like everyone gets most updates within a few days or at most a week of each other. I also agree with setting the regen braking to high, it takes maybe a day to get used to it. Other settings that I would recommend are keeping it in all purpose mode for every day driving but for a longer highway trip switch to conserve, which will give another 8-10% more range. You can keep it in conserve but there seems to be evidence that will wear the tires faster. The user interface for the touch screen is quite good and keeps getting better, so enjoy!

They are getting a dual. Conserve (FWD) is default drive mode, so there isn’t a Conserve mode. They do need to be aware that driving in low and lowest ride height induces more and more negative camber, which will manifest in uneven and premature tire wear. Ride heights below standard is best saved for highway cruising, where speed and steering angles do not vary much.

 

[Rivian Roamer]

Set regen on high. More consistent and confidence inspiring. The rest, don’t worry about it. You’ll figure out your personal preferences eventually. Read the owner guide. OTAs are never pushed all at once. That’s the worst thing to do to deploy updates. Rivianroamer.com has an excellent comprehensive guide on how it works. In short, again, don’t worry about it. Everyone gets updates eventually. Your car drives and works before and after. You are not missing out if you get it later than someone else. There is no race and there are no prizes. Linking your account to rivianroamer (even the non-subscription) gives you an email notification the moment your car is flagged for updates. Otherwise, everything happens in the background: if parked and connected to reliable WiFi, your R1 will automatically proceed with download, then notify you via Rivian mobile app to install (if auto install option is not enabled). If not connected, your R1 will eventually download through its own LTE connection (slower than WiFi). If you enable auto install, short of connectivity error, everything will be done for you.

Update process and rivianroamer has been discussed many times. Check out forum search.

https://rivianroamer.com/guides

To follow up, I recommend reading the software update guide.

But I'll add some context in case others read this and don't read the guide.

There are two cohorts of people that get updates. Those with Connect+ and without. Your position within those cohorts is random. That means having Connect+ will get you an update earlier, but not first.

 

[Mellowyellow]

To follow up, I recommend reading the software update guide.

But I'll add some context in case others read this and don't read the guide.

There are two cohorts of people that get updates. Those with Connect+ and without. Your position within those cohorts is random. That means having Connect+ will get you an update earlier, but not first.

Especially now because EVERYONE has a free 60 day trial of connect plus.

 

[Rivian Roamer]

Especially now because EVERYONE has a free 60 day trial of connect plus.

Correct.

The best way to describe Connect+ is like TSA PreCheck. There are still lines, you're just... earlier.

 

[ndmiller]

The best way to describe Connect+ is like TSA PreCheck. There are still lines, you're just... earlier.

Except the plane isn't going anywhere great, it's just OK just like the updates.

 

[DevonD]

I owned a Platinum Lightning for 2 years and am close to 2 years with my R1T. I really liked the Lightning but I love my R1T. Occasionally miss some of the extra space but overall way happier with the Rivian. I lost faith in Ford’s ability to provide meaningful updates and the range was a disappointment.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Especially now because EVERYONE has a free 60 day trial of connect plus.

And even without trial or subscription, it’s really not important to be among first. It’s extremely rare for anyone, within Rivian’s supported markets, to be left behind. And in the rare case where the wrong software build is pushed out, it’s actually an advantage to be unaffected; because it would have been corrected before further waves of vehicles are flagged to be updated. This is precisely why updates are done in waves instead of all at once.

The biggest thing OP will come to realize is how the R1 improves over time vs how the Lightning remains pretty much the same from first to last drive.

 

[Rivian Roamer]

Except the plane isn't going anywhere great, it's just OK just like the updates.

Oof.

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