Rivian software is (still) an embarrassment and needs to get better fast before R2

[COdogman]

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[10BladeDad]

I've had my Rivian for less than 2 weeks, and I already almost can't take it anymore because of the software issues.

Disclaimer/context: I'm a big Rivian fan and have been rooting for them for years. I want them to succeed. I'm also a software architect, recovering developer, and CTO...I am fully aware of how hard it is to build and deliver complex software (not for embedded systems in a vehicle specifically, but I have some similar experience) for your current customers while also building for the future.

I just had to step back and take off the rose-colored glasses we sometimes have as fans of Rivian, because after experiencing the below I don't think I can look a normal person (non-early-adopter type) in the eye and recommend a Rivian.

All of the below issues have persisted after multiple resets of both vehicle and phone, and deletion/reinstallation of the Rivian iOS app.

1. About 70% of the time, the vehicle will not proximity unlock via phone key unless I pull out my phone (iPhone 17) and open the Rivian app. Yes, all the background permissions/Bluetooth settings etc are enabled. Insane that simply unlocking the car is still a problem in 2025. "UWB is supposed to make this better" -- yeah that would be great, if I could actually get the setup prompt. I can't. Besides, Tesla's been doing reliable unlocking via Bluetooth for years.
2. Apple Music stops after every 2-3 songs. It just stops playing until I tap Play again. Sometimes it just refuses to play that song and I have to keep skipping until one will start. Today, I got in the car and it just outright refused to start anything from Apple Music. Frustrating/annoying.
3. FM radio hasn't worked properly a single time. Oh it plays...but the UI is completely broken; we can't control it. It shows the radio as "off" when it's really on, or it stays locked on a single station regardless of what other buttons you push to change it, or sometimes it will change the station but the UI still shows that it's on a different station. Ridiculous.
4. Kneel when Parked only works about half of the time.
5. I can't get it to prefer my profile over my wife's when we both approach the car at the same time.
6. When I do select my profile, half the time it doesn't return my seat to my position. So then I have to re-setup my seat position.
7. Gear Guard setup just...won't. I have what is supposedly a proven compatible storage device, but when it tells me to plug it in, I do, and then nothing happens. No error message, no feedback, no additional information. The setup screen just closes.

There are yet more serious bugs that I (thankfully) have not experienced, like the slow level 2 charging or -- worse -- the wildly inaccurate arrival SoC estimates people have been reporting with the most recent update (2025.46.0). But those bugs are still indirectly affecting me even though I haven't experienced them, because we're leaving on a roadtrip soon, and I'm worried that these bugs might hit me — I'm afraid I won't be able to trust the arrival SoC, for example. Not a relaxing way to start a trip.

And that's the crux of it -- trust. I don't trust that the software in this $100k vehicle is going to work at any given moment, even for basic stuff like unlocking the car. Conversely, in three years, I haven't had any of the above issues in our Tesla, except for one time it wouldn't unlock until I opened the app on my phone. One. Single. Time. Everything else has been absolutely flawless in that vehicle -- audio, driver profile selection, the dashcam system, charging management, all of it. Based on that contrasting experience, I probably won't use my day one R2 reservation to replace our Model Y, and we'll be keeping the Model Y primarily because it's just reliable, and the Rivian isn't.

"It'll get better in the next update" or "it's come so far!" isn't acceptable after five years when we're talking about basic functionality that has been working fine in cars for decades — proximity unlock and FM radio, for example. "It's buggy because it's better tech and still new," again, isn't acceptable after this much time and for how expensive this vehicle is.

I know it's hard. I know it's new. Not an excuse anymore.

As a Rivian investor, I'm honestly more worried about next year now that I own a Rivian. If the mass market R2 experiences these types and volume of bugs, the Rivian brand will be tarnished and the R2 launch will be compromised. (Ironically, studies have shown that people who buy mid-market cars tend to have even less patience for reliability issues than people who buy $100k+ cars, due to lifestyle factors and a few other things.)

I don't post this to sh!t on Rivian, quite the opposite...I'm still rooting for them. But being honest about where things stand is important. They probably know all this, I'm surely not revealing anything that's new to anyone, but just as a reality check of where the overall current customer experience stands (for some people)...it's not great.

Let's hope for a better 2026 with software!

Not trying to dismiss your experience, but my dude, drink some decaf & relax. I've had my Rivian for just over 3mos & I've yet to experience ANY of the issues you described.

• Proximity lock/unlock, Apple, Spotify, FM Radio all work whenever called upon.
• Kneel mode - is this really a software issue or user error? KM will stop if anyone opens the door before it is completed
• Profile - n/a for me; wife drives her company car M-F, otherwise I drive
• GG - setup for Samsung 2TB hard drive was flawless

You come across as melodramatic ranting about "more serious bugs" you admittedly have never experienced. Rivian isn't perfect, but what car company is? Heck, I'm playfully disappointed we didn't get a Xmas-themed light show in the .46.0 update. Nevertheless, each of the 3 updates I've experienced so far, has improved my vehicle experience. So yes, lets hope 2026 software continues to get better & better with every release

 

[Donald Stanfield]

A troll post, are you serious? More apologists here than I was expecting. You think the doors not unlocking are operator error? Or the radio displaying that it’s on one station but actually playing another is operator error? Or not setting my seat position when I select my profile?

I spent an hour on the phone with Rivian trying to get the UWB key to activate. That’s when we did all the resetting/reinstalling. App and vehicle are both up to date, obviously. No dice. They’re stumped too.

I think some of you are missing the real point, which is that if the R2 has these issues, it’s going to be a real problem with a mass market rollout, both in terms of brand perception and service load.

It’s not that we don’t believe you have these issues, we believe you because most of us experienced them ourselves. What we are pushing back on is how big of a deal you’re making this sound like.

I’ve owned a lot of cars, and either they’ve had way less software functionality or what was there worked much less than my Rivian’s has. I’ve never had a Tesla but I will concede their software is still probably better from a bug free standpoint but other than that every other manufacturer is weaker than Rivian is in this area.

Never mind the fact that your “issues” are minor annoyances that shouldn’t even register as an issue. All software has malfunctions. I have more issues with Windows than I do with Rivian and I’d say that’s pretty impressive.

When my Rivian does something minor like default to my wife or stop playing my music I switch the user or press the steering wheel button to restart the song and move on with my life. If stuff like that bothers you so much I think you should reevaluate your priorities and try to figure out the stuff that’s really important. If you’re paying attention to that you won’t have time to worry about things like this.

 

[skyguyscott]

In defense of the OP:

1) He's not wrong to point out that the larger (hopefully) mass market for the R2 will likely have less patience with software bugs. True, Rivian may have less buggy software and less serious bugs than other brands, Tesla notwithstanding, but owner dissatisfaction with vehicle software issues industry-wide is a rising problem if not one of the most frustrating issues new buyers deal with. Ironically, Rivian is positioning itself as a leading automotive software company, and VW is counting on them for help with their entire line of vehicles.

2) user forums like this one are most valuable when posters can crowd-source solutions to posted problems. If you post a problem, wouldn't you rather read an answer than responses doubting your problem or defending the brand?

3) In that spirit:
1- I have also had issues with the vehicle not immediately unlocking, at times requiring that I depress the handle or pull out my phone. I did not purchase a key fob. The new update is supposed to address this, but as of today, the last day of 2025, I have not yet been updated. So it will be 2026 before I get the last 2025 update.
2- I don't subscribe to any music streaming service; I always downloaded songs or listen to broadcast radio. I always avoided streaming services due to the fact I hate paid subscribions for things like music and TV I can receive for free over the air, and because streaming is susceptible to network taffic issues like you are having. Why be frustrated? Find peace and joy by ditching the subscriptions, you can thank me later.
3-The issue I am having with my Rivian radio is that the reception is noticeably poorer than in any other vehicle I have owned. The radio looses the signal at points dozens of miles sooner than it should. I suspect something with the Antenna or other hardware issue, which, depending on the RF architecture, could also have something to do with your unlock situation. Does Rivian have poor RF signal detection? I think so.
4-Have not had issues with Kneel, nor heard about that, so I am unable to offer any insight.
5&6- I am only driver, so profile confusion isn't something I know anything about, however, I have had numerous issues with the seat not always returning to the presets when I depress the brake pedal to start. I have fount that if I reach down and start to move the seat, the screen immediately presents a dialog box to remember or restore the seat settings. If I select restore, the seat position then moves to my preferred presets.
7- Have not used Gear Guard, so I can't offer any insights on that issue.

 

[VSG]

3-The issue I am having with my Rivian radio is that the reception is noticeably poorer than in any other vehicle I have owned. The radio looses the signal at points dozens of miles sooner than it should. I suspect something with the Antenna or other hardware issue, which, depending on the RF architecture, could also have something to do with your unlock situation. Does Rivian have poor RF signal detection? I think so.

Check your vehicle Settings/Apps/Media to see what your HD Radio setting is. I don't know what the default is these days, but you might have to toggle that setting depending on where you live.

 

[ATLRivvy]

Regular posters on this forum are so ridiculous. These threads pop up literally daily and the service centers are chock full of people complaining about software issues yet the EXACT SAME posters pop up in every single thread and express shock that someone is complaining about software issues.

The even more ridiculous regular posters are the ones who pop up and do the “back in my day” thing to minimize software complaints - for a company with a CEO who literally calls the car “software defined” and host autonomy days. At this point it has to be brain damage from the lead paint exposure if you still aren’t getting it.

@OP - My R1S and almost every owner I know in real life has random software issues that come and go. The latest update to UWB has made proximity lock bulletproof (so far) for me but I had to completely remove the old key (forgetting the Bluetooth connection) before I could switch over - the app guided migration did not work initially.

I have never used the FM radio - but Apple Music had a whole host of problems for me. Inconsistent sound and volume from song to song. Luckily we are a Spotify household so I just gave up on Apple Music after the trial - no issues on Spotify.

For the profile issue - I haven’t figured out a way to prioritize but I deleted and reinstalled both keys and now it’s a bit more accurate but unavoidable it chooses the wrong key now and again.

 

[richguess]

I've had my Rivian for less than 2 weeks, and I already almost can't take it anymore because of the software issues.

Disclaimer/context: I'm a big Rivian fan and have been rooting for them for years. I want them to succeed. I'm also a software architect, recovering developer, and CTO...I am fully aware of how hard it is to build and deliver complex software (not for embedded systems in a vehicle specifically, but I have some similar experience) for your current customers while also building for the future.

I just had to step back and take off the rose-colored glasses we sometimes have as fans of Rivian, because after experiencing the below I don't think I can look a normal person (non-early-adopter type) in the eye and recommend a Rivian.

All of the below issues have persisted after multiple resets of both vehicle and phone, and deletion/reinstallation of the Rivian iOS app.

1. About 70% of the time, the vehicle will not proximity unlock via phone key unless I pull out my phone (iPhone 17) and open the Rivian app. Yes, all the background permissions/Bluetooth settings etc are enabled. Insane that simply unlocking the car is still a problem in 2025. "UWB is supposed to make this better" -- yeah that would be great, if I could actually get the setup prompt. I can't. Besides, Tesla's been doing reliable unlocking via Bluetooth for years.
2. Apple Music stops after every 2-3 songs. It just stops playing until I tap Play again. Sometimes it just refuses to play that song and I have to keep skipping until one will start. Today, I got in the car and it just outright refused to start anything from Apple Music. Frustrating/annoying.
3. FM radio hasn't worked properly a single time. Oh it plays...but the UI is completely broken; we can't control it. It shows the radio as "off" when it's really on, or it stays locked on a single station regardless of what other buttons you push to change it, or sometimes it will change the station but the UI still shows that it's on a different station. Ridiculous.
4. Kneel when Parked only works about half of the time.
5. I can't get it to prefer my profile over my wife's when we both approach the car at the same time.
6. When I do select my profile, half the time it doesn't return my seat to my position. So then I have to re-setup my seat position.
7. Gear Guard setup just...won't. I have what is supposedly a proven compatible storage device, but when it tells me to plug it in, I do, and then nothing happens. No error message, no feedback, no additional information. The setup screen just closes.

There are yet more serious bugs that I (thankfully) have not experienced, like the slow level 2 charging or -- worse -- the wildly inaccurate arrival SoC estimates people have been reporting with the most recent update (2025.46.0). But those bugs are still indirectly affecting me even though I haven't experienced them, because we're leaving on a roadtrip soon, and I'm worried that these bugs might hit me — I'm afraid I won't be able to trust the arrival SoC, for example. Not a relaxing way to start a trip.

And that's the crux of it -- trust. I don't trust that the software in this $100k vehicle is going to work at any given moment, even for basic stuff like unlocking the car. Conversely, in three years, I haven't had any of the above issues in our Tesla, except for one time it wouldn't unlock until I opened the app on my phone. One. Single. Time. Everything else has been absolutely flawless in that vehicle -- audio, driver profile selection, the dashcam system, charging management, all of it. Based on that contrasting experience, I probably won't use my day one R2 reservation to replace our Model Y, and we'll be keeping the Model Y primarily because it's just reliable, and the Rivian isn't.

"It'll get better in the next update" or "it's come so far!" isn't acceptable after five years when we're talking about basic functionality that has been working fine in cars for decades — proximity unlock and FM radio, for example. "It's buggy because it's better tech and still new," again, isn't acceptable after this much time and for how expensive this vehicle is.

I know it's hard. I know it's new. Not an excuse anymore.

As a Rivian investor, I'm honestly more worried about next year now that I own a Rivian. If the mass market R2 experiences these types and volume of bugs, the Rivian brand will be tarnished and the R2 launch will be compromised. (Ironically, studies have shown that people who buy mid-market cars tend to have even less patience for reliability issues than people who buy $100k+ cars, due to lifestyle factors and a few other things.)

I don't post this to sh!t on Rivian, quite the opposite...I'm still rooting for them. But being honest about where things stand is important. They probably know all this, I'm surely not revealing anything that's new to anyone, but just as a reality check of where the overall current customer experience stands (for some people)...it's not great.

Let's hope for a better 2026 with software!

I get it that they should do better. But that husband/wife profile thing is truly a first world problem, isn’t it?

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

I hear you. I’ve been leasing a 2025 Model 3 for the past year and I’ve had similar problems to what you’ve described with your Rivian in addition to other things.

1. Phone as key not working properly even though I swear I have the app on and opened in the background. Then I have to pull my phone out and open the app. This has happened a handful of times to me and my wife trying to get in the passenger side before me. It’s possible it’s human error.

Side note:
I also notice a slight delay in opening if the vehicle is below 20% charge. I think this is because it’s not constantly connected when it’s on low power mode in order to conserve battery. It’s still works though.

2. Apple Music works for the most part, but there have been some software updates that have forced me to sign back in using a QR code. I thought I heard a rumor a couple weeks back saying Tesla was actually working on CarPlay compatibility due to slowing sales. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Side Note:
Also issues with Apple Podcasts. Sometimes it saves what I’ve been listening to, sometimes it doesn’t and I have to search for it again the next time. Sometimes I’m listening to a podcast, but instead of playing the next one in the series it plays a random one I haven’t finished yet. Annoying.

3. Intermittent issues with the FM Radio app. I like to listen to NPR and a local variety station sometimes, but it swaps the station name and thumbnail between the two or just plays static. Then I have to open the app and tap on the opposite station and back to get it to play.

4. Remote climate activation through the app doesn’t display properly based on what’s going on in the car. I’ve turned on settings on the app and then get in the car and they’re based on what I set them on when I got out of the vehicle the last time.

5. Extremely finicky HVAC system, especially in the winter. I heard Rivian’s isn’t great either. The symbols they use are very vague and things I want to stay on don’t when I make minor adjustments. It’s a giant pain in the ass. I just want my feet to be warm and my windshield to be clear without having to breath other people’s exhaust. I think vehicles with raked windshields suffer from this problem more than most because the windshield keeps fogging up.

6. At least two times I have gotten into the car and the center display has been blank. No way to drive the vehicle. Luckily it turned on within 30 seconds or so, but WTF?! No explanation.

7. Several times during shifts in weather from rain to snow or cool (40’s) to cold (20’s/teens) my door handles, charging port, and trunk have frozen shut. I have to bang around the frozen items like a weirdo getting them to unstick and then they sometimes don’t close correctly afterwords (handle frozen open!) I usually move it back and forth and it knocks the rest of the internal ice loose. Both companies seriously need to redesign their door handles for safety and convenience. Don’t fix what isn’t broken.

8. Don’t even get me started on FSD. I was given a second free trial recently. While it has improved I’m still not paying for it. I tried the latest build, version 14.something, and it keeps getting over into the far right lane when it’s driving me home, which is a right turn only lane, then it has to try to get back in the lane it just left. It has done this multiple times. It also lurched to the side of the road and stopped, like there was an emergency vehicle coming in the opposite direction, when it was only a local truck with a plow attached (not actively plowing). One time it even drove me into the middle of an intersection on a left turn and then disengaged!

I like driving and I just want an advanced cruise control, so I can rest my legs on long trips. The only way I’m getting self driving is if the vehicle can actually drive like me. Have a mode where it can copy me and overlay all of the safety stuff and then I might consider it. Otherwise, hard pass. It’s stressful to have to babysit this thing, or worse you grow complacent because you think it’s capable, but it really isn’t.

BOTH companies really need to address issues like these if they want people to accept software-driven vehicles. In fact I think there should be a recovery mode that just lets you drive the vehicle safely if it’s acting up due to software issues or rollback to a more stable update. People need reliable vehicles for work, school, travel, emergencies, etc.

END RANT

P.S. I just wanted to let other Rivian drivers and enthusiasts know that Teslas aren’t perfect. Can’t wait for the R2 to launch.

 

[savethemanual]

Regular posters on this forum are so ridiculous. These threads pop up literally daily and the service centers are chock full of people complaining about software issues yet the EXACT SAME posters pop up in every single thread and express shock that someone is complaining about software issues.

The even more ridiculous regular posters are the ones who pop up and do the “back in my day” thing to minimize software complaints - for a company with a CEO who literally calls the car “software defined” and host autonomy days. At this point it has to be brain damage from the lead paint exposure if you still aren’t getting it.

It seems balanced...there are definitely regulars on here who paint the picture that Rivian is God and then there are those who complain about the most nit-picky shit so I guess we all meet somewhere in the middle I'm sooo looking forward to my R2, go Rivian!

 

[blzabub]

I have found that I get those types of Apple Music issues when bandwidth is scarce. When my kids are in the R1T and using their devices, Apple Music seems starved of internet bandwidth and just stops playing. There should be some kind of informative warning message. When I ask the kids to put their devices in Airplane mode, Apple Music immediately starts working. Hope that helps.

 

[KRG]

That does suck. I’ve miraculously had no issues. My truck has unlocked immediately every single time I’ve ever walked up to it..have never had to take out my phone. I don’t get why there’s such a varied experience in software.

 

[ndmiller]

Welcome to your Rivian experience, probably should have gone on a longer test drive. A number of these things are well documented, should have done a bit of research as some haven't been address since the beginning.

I have a Gen1 R1T and none of these have been persistent and removed any joy of owing the vehicle, but again I'm not a CTO and I knew most of them coming in.

 

[KidThunder]

Let's hope for a better 2026 with software!

Love our vehicle but we’ve also had lots of bugs:
1. FM radio has always been unreliable
2. Garage door doesn’t always recognize when we’re “home” so can’t use the steering wheel button to open the garage door
3. Having that garage button be the same as cancel kneel is really inconvenient when closing the garage door behind you, those two messages are always fighting each other
4. The album art on Spotify always lags by one song - on the plus side it makes for some funny mashups
It’s not like I’m gonna sell it but it is a head scratcher that they haven’t ironed out more of the kinks in 3 years

 

[eddysales001]

I feel u to our pain but disagree with your assessment have a 40 yr career in technology. I have quirks I live with every day between my Apple Watch, phone and accounts and can’t count the number of
Times a Microsoft computer required a ctrl alt del. I am happy with my R1S and give this startup company a lot of credit from whence they came

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