2026.03 Update Pushed! Now Installing

[elektrode]

Thanks didn't realize the release notes were out.

Feels like an awkward thread merge happened.

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[Rade]

Reading these comments feels like Christmas Eve all over again... I've learned to appreciate getting socks. The bunny suit was a surprise.

 

[mkhuffman]

There really are some good things in this update. I just think they are on a serious UHF clock if they want people to pay $50/month, and I expected this update to move closer to Tesla FSD. It looks like they did some minor UHF improvements, but nothing significant.

The Standard height in Sport mode should be very interesting. It might get me to use Sport mode more. The cold weather improvements are good also. I look forward to getting a better understanding where the range hit is coming from.

 

[Yota2R1T]

I'm stoked! New drive mode for dual, improvements to the option accessibility when on cruise.
This is great, I'm so grateful to the Rivian team for continuing improvements.
Onward!

 

[loqueid]

Kinda happy with the ability to trigger the kneel before I stop. Whenever I park, I have to tell everyone not to touch the doors until it finishes kneeling.

REMINDER TO NOT KNEEL WHEN PARKING OVER A CURB OR SIDEWALK.
Seriously, it's obvious but I wish this was bright up and drilled in my head a bit before I scraped the mud flaps.

 

[John.S]

I'll take Phone as a Key improvements for $100 Alex.

Half the time, I still have to take my phone out of my pocket, open the app and by then the vehicle unlocks (I don't need to click unlock in the app). Otherwise, I can press on the driver's door handle until the end of time with the phone in my pocket and, many times, nothing will happen. iPhone 17 Pro, same issues when I had the 16 Pro since I just upgraded phones a few weeks ago.

I have the same issues, though I went from a iPhoine 14 to a 17. Multi Function authentication you have to have the Rivian app up or if you touch the breaks early then you have to dig down and then punch the code. Would be nice if you just had to tap the watch...

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

Didn't the applewatch stuff get released already?

That’s what I thought.

 

[theonetruestripes]

Didn't the applewatch stuff get released already?

Not exactly, they added KeyCard support which does put a usable key on the watch, so you can unlock/drive with the watch (with some effort). Which I assume is a “minimum viable product” sort of Apple Watch “stuff”.

In theory the AW should be able to do all the “remote” stuff, open the frunk/liftgate/windows, and start/stop the HVAC and all the other stuff the phone app can do. I mean you can make it do that with Shortcuts already (I think all those actions on the watch currently talk to your phone, so it would work if say you are in the middle of nowhere, but your AW can reach your R1‘s hotspot, and the R1’s AT&T cell connection works, and your phone is 300+ miles away but has power and signal, so the watch just says “hey phone on the internet somewhere put the HVAC in hold mode for 2 hours at 72º” and the phone eventually gets it all done — but if the phone isn’t online, or AT&T isn’t reachable just now, or the R1’s hotspot isn’t working, or you aren’t paying for Connect+…it won’t work).

I dunno if anyone at Rivian cares enough about the watch to put the effort in. It isn’t like it is all that hard, but the market is pretty small, and the hard part is mostly deciding what functions to cram onto a tiny UI, what to leave out, and maybe to add more ”key equivalent devices”, or ”just” do the work of extending KeyCard to cover more then just lock/unlock rather then getting the watch to participate in Rivian’s custom auth scheme (Which should be easy for Rivian in that it would be the same code, but also a little of a pain because they assume you only need to support “a few” phones per Rivian, and this would make each Apple Watch appear to be a new device of that class, so they would need to double the number supported…)

I'm assuming it'll be an app with a key inside, so you won't need your keycard, key fob or phone to use the vehicle

Yeah, now that they support Apple’s KeyCard or CarKey or whatever it is called now the watch has the ability to lock/unlock the R1. I don’t think Rivian does anything other then lock/unlock, and maybe “enable drive” with CarKey, like you can’t make a HVAC request and use CarKey to authenticate it.

Which makes the Apple Watch extreamly useful in a pinch, but doens’t let you say “open the rear lift gate”, or “turn on HVAC” (or turn off HVAC!). It doens’t even let it directly check the charge level of the R1 (it can show you the “widget” from the phone though that does show that…if it can talk to your phone right now)

 

[jprev]

I'll take Phone as a Key improvements for $100 Alex.

Half the time, I still have to take my phone out of my pocket, open the app and by then the vehicle unlocks (I don't need to click unlock in the app). Otherwise, I can press on the driver's door handle until the end of time with the phone in my pocket and, many times, nothing will happen. iPhone 17 Pro, same issues when I had the 16 Pro since I just upgraded phones a few weeks ago.

Same here

 

[rogersmj]

Didn't the applewatch stuff get released already?

No, they don't have a real Apple Watch app yet.

With my Tesla, I could have a little complication on my watch face that showed the car's charge, and tapping it would open the app (on the watch) with all the controls. The #1 thing I used it for was starting the climate -- two taps on my watch (one on the complication, one in the climate icon on the subsequent screen) while I was in the store or whatever, and my car would be toasty warm (INCLUDING the automatic seats and steering wheel) by the time I got to it. No need to pull out the phone.

I missed it so much I was starting to poke at the idea of building an Apple Watch app that would do the same thing for the Rivian, but the reverse-engineered Rivian API out there didn't have the seats/steering wheel stuff in it so I was trying to figure that out.

I mean you can make it do that with Shortcuts already

There doesn't seem to be a way to start the heated seats/steering wheel with Shortcuts. Which would be a moot point if they just made them automatic with the HVAC like literally everyone else does now.

 

[More Juice Please]

Seems like a good update - certainly happy(ier) as a dual motor owner, but beyond those items the additional features are appreciated. Having owned a Lightning for a couple of years, and one reason I left Ford, I'm glad that Rivian continues to push software upgrades frequently and with meaningful improvements (subjective, I understand).

 

[schwartz83]

This is a welcome addition, will help going between conserve and all purpose on trips.

• Gen 1: You can now change between all on-road drive modes and adjust ride height, ride feel, and brake regen settings while Adaptive Cruise Control and Highway Assist are engaged.

I agree - a welcome addition.

 

[HapticWagon]

My front half Shafts already struggle with full acceleration in all purpose mode.

Sport mode in standard ride height is screaming for front half Shafts issues.

 

[BCondrey]

Major upgrade for Gen1. We get Sport mode, kneel mode improvements, Apple watch app and more. Cold weather energy improvements too. Really good stuff. Launch mode for performance models.

 

[jnc007]

Not a complaint. I want as many updates they’ll give me; but launch mode in February when its 10° out and covered in snow and ice….ill be saving this one for June.

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