These are inconveniences, NOT safety issues. Your car not working is NOT a safety issue; it's something a capable adult should be able to deal with. Cameras are not a safety issue either. Millions of people drive every day without cameras.
Paid more than that for my 2020 Tesla Model S Raven, and the reliability of that vehicle has been nothing but outstanding. Paid somewhat less for my Tesla 2022 MYP, and that car reliability has been bulletproof also.
And I've had only one minor issue with two different Rivians, so mine have been reliable as well; however, I understand that the more complex the vehicle, the greater the opportunity for errors. Doubly so from a new vehicle manufacturer. It's not hard to understand why to me. Rivian hasn't been making vehicles very long, and the R1S is arguably the most complex SUV on the market. Both factors are contributing to the hit or miss initial reliability.
I do not want to add anything else about this lest I jinx my Teslas and my Rivian!!
The Kia story is a good one. I just wish that Rivian makes some changes that greatly improve their quality and reliability. For the price range they're competing in, one should expect higher quality and service.
Ok we should agree to disagree. You are ok with the 'inconvenience' of being stranded on the highway with doors not unlocking and you and your family inside the car. Then you have a pretty low bar for safety. Too bad that the Rivian quality control seems in line with that low grade quality standard. They're burning cash every day thanks to so many owners having so many 'inconveniences' and because of this type of mindset improving nothing when it comes to quality for a 100k car. That sucks.
Thankfully autopilot is not a priority for us. We still trust our own driving than a machines. That said if I'm not feeling well enough I'll skip driving and stay home if that's an option. I see very minimal cases of the need for autopilot for our driving. But good to know either way.
Just another data point - a friend has a 2018 tesla MX that he had multiple issues in the first two years of ownership - mostly software and had it in the shop perhaps a dozen times. However, my general experience is that Tesla software seems to be a bit more mature and bullet proof compared to Rivian. But then again R1 is more complex than the my early tesla's (2016 MX, 2018 M3)
Curious how every time you tell the story it gets just a bit more dramatic. I don't know how you got stuck in the car with the manual handles that are easily accessible from either front seat. The quality is fine for me, but I'm not a whiner. It sounds like you had one semi serious issue and a whole bunch of small ones yet you're on here making a federal case out of it.
FWIW, I have had three Rivians. My early vin Gen1 R1T, my wife had a Gen1 R1S that we traded in for a Gen2 R1S. I'm about 80k miles in on Rivians. So three anecdotes:
I love my R1T. It only has 4900 miles on it, so I am just getting started, but so far zero issues that require a service center visit. This is just a data point for you to consider, but based on your experience, I would take a break from Rivian. In fact, I recommend you take a break from buying an electric SUV.
Just know that a couple of posters on here have a cult like devotion to the brand but the majority are more pragmatic.
Cult like devotion my ass, I don't see something that's a minor issue being some major world changing event. Many people here clearly haven't faced much adversity in their lives, as something as minor as their car camera not working is considered a major emergency. My rancor has little to do with Rivian and everything to do with not making a mountain out of a molehill.
