R2 Pet Mode Concerns From Owner's Test

[R1Thrilled]

Perhaps you should share your feedback via the Rivian mobile app or with support if you haven’t done so already.

I recently did share feedback, at the end of the day I want to feel confident using the system like I am in my R1T.

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[Jeremy3292]

So it seems if I were to keep it at 72 degrees auto and fan speed at medium, that would carry over to pet mode? That's how it works on my Tesla, but you can change it on the screen in the car and in the mobile app if needed. Is that how Rivian works?

 

[WoodChips]

I think I found a solution, lol.

 

[R1Thrilled]

So it seems if I were to keep it at 72 degrees auto and fan speed at medium, that would carry over to pet mode? That's how it works on my Tesla, but you can change it on the screen in the car and in the mobile app if needed. Is that how Rivian works?

Rivian does not allow you to make any changes to pet mode settings once it is active. Including from the mobile app.

 

[SANZC02]

Hey everyone, I know typically it is frowned upon to self-promote but I feel compelled to share since this is related to something we all care dearly about (our pets).

I will provide a TL;DW for anyone who doesn't want to waste 10 mins.

• I got the R2 update today with Pet Mode.
• I turned pet mode on in ~90 degree summer heat in middle TN (humid) and sit in the cargo area and film myself.
• I note that it feels like the fans are barely working and it is taking a while for the temps to come down in the cabin.
• I eventually go to the driver seat and toggle the climate to Auto high (from auto low) and turn pet mode back on.
• The fan speed is noticeably higher, causing me to question if they tied pet mode to the fan speed setting prior to enabling it (WHY???)

Let me know if this is something specific to my car or if they just completely whiffed on pet mode for the R2.

Sounds like in your test you enabled it in a hot vehicle. I’ve never done that in the R1S so I can’t compare your test with my use cases.

Anytime I have had to use it it was for short stops while driving. The interior has already been at a comfortable level and pet mode was used to maintain it.

 

[R1Thrilled]

Sounds like in your test you enabled it in a hot vehicle. I’ve never done that in the R1S so I can’t compare your test with my use cases.

Anytime I have had to use it it was for short stops while driving. The interior has already been at a comfortable level and pet mode was used to maintain it.

I’ve enabled pet mode across a variety of temperatures during my R1 ownership experience and it has always blasted the temps down within a couple of minutes and maintained from there. This behavior is different, thus the video.

 

[skyguyscott]

FWIW, my Gen 2 R1T AC seems to struggle to cool the cabin on these super hot sunny summer days, regardless of Pet mode. It feels like a traditional AC that's low on Freon.

 

[VSG]

FWIW, my Gen 2 R1T AC seems to struggle to cool the cabin on these super hot sunny summer days, regardless of Pet mode. It feels like a traditional AC that's low on Freon.

Is it? Have you checked?

 

[LevelHeaded]

If it's different than how the R1 operates, it does seem like they should be consistent.

That being said, my default assumption would be that pet mode operates exactly like whatever auto mode you're in; in my mind they're kind of the same thing: asking the system to achieve and maintain a set temperature, the aggressiveness of which controlled by which "tier" of auto (sidenote, I find "tiers" of auto somewhat counter-intuitive to begin with, but they're a thing now)

That is to say, I wouldn't have thought it strange that pet mode is just auto mode, nor would I have found it strange that pet mode didn't override my auto "aggressiveness" setting

 

[Holler Wanderer]

Yeah, I think Pet mode is probably tuned to maintain temperature, not to rapidly cool (or heat) the cabin.

I don't think anyone is or should be throwing their pet into a very hot cabin, turning on Pet Mode, then walking away just hoping that it will cool down before their pet dies.

I have used Pet Mode a lot in my R1T. and before the first time I obsessively tested it to make sure it worked. And whenever I have to leave my pet I still obsessively check my phone to make sure that the cabin temperature is being maintained. Pet Mode has never failed me, even on 105 degree days in the desert with no shade (I do cover the windows to reduce heat entry in these conditions).

You're definitely like me - I do the same thing. I find the R1S can be noisy and take a while to cool down (especially in the potent CO sun), but once it does, it maintains a temp well.

My only complaint about the R1 is the lack of overhead second row vents. I have a dog hammock in there, which blocks the vents, so I had to buy a Ryobi battery fan to give my girl some extra air on warm days. I guess I could start putting her in the third row?

 

[Mallkid]

For anyone who is curious, this is how my Gen 1 R1T behaves using pet mode. If Rivian intends to use user set fan speed then they should note that in the manual. My guess is that was not their actual intention.


How Pet Mode Should Work (Gen 1 R1T)

The listed interior volume for the passengers in the R1T is 59.9 cubic feet. Can’t find the total for the R2 but the space listed without the front seat passenger area is 90.1 cubic feet. Already 50% bigger without counting the front row. Your comparison between the two seems to neglect the vast difference in amount of hot air that needs to be cooled by the HVAC if starting from a hot vehicle.

Not saying that the temp control isn’t a concern in pet mode but comparing apples to pineapples doesn’t paint the whole picture.

 

[R1Thrilled]

The listed interior volume for the passengers in the R1T is 59.9 cubic feet. Can’t find the total for the R2 but the space listed without the front seat passenger area is 90.1 cubic feet. Already 50% bigger without counting the front row. Your comparison between the two seems to neglect the vast difference in amount of hot air that needs to be cooled by the HVAC if starting from a hot vehicle.

Not saying that the temp control isn’t a concern in pet mode but comparing apples to pineapples doesn’t paint the whole picture.

I get that, but that’s even more reason to tune pet mode to be more aggressive in the R2. I know how cold the air can blow and how hard the fans are capable of blasting on high fan speed. The pet mode in R2 never once gave me a fraction of that, despite it acknowledging that the temperature delta from current -> set was high enough to trigger their “it’s hot, we’re working on it” graphic.

 

[Nadus]

Thanks for posting this, OP. Just based on the feedback I'm seeing, you might want to drive around for a half hour so the cabin in conditioned, and then redo your Pet Mode test.

 

[llninja]

Try connecting a seat belt in the back seats to see if it changes anything, I have a pet harness connected to my 2nd row seats in my R1S and that always enables AC to blow there. Once I moved the puppy to the third row as we had human passengers and the third row knew to turn on without me adding it.

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