RJ on CarPlay (Autoblog Post / Stratechery Interview)

[skyguyscott]

Rivian does work with Apple (and Google). What do you think gen 2's Apple Wallet Key, the Google-powered navigation update and upcoming Gemini-powered AI Assistant are??

It's not about pride. It's about future growth and revenue of the company. It's about building on top of Rivian's software stack to one day deliver a totally integrated vehicle-borne software platform that can compete against all existing and future rivals. Set knee-jerk emotions aside, pause the complaining, and take in all of the headlines. Rivian isn't just a car company. It is evolving and aiming to also become a mobility technology company. It has also said, more than once, that it and its JV with VW are aiming to create a product that could be licensed to other OEMs.

It's about business and long-term sustainability of it. It's about starting somewhere with the business (and its product) and building it into something greater. If you want CarPlay so bad, spend the $ on any of the aftermarket options, whether it's the tacky add-on screens or the EV Play. Or just buy a different car. It's not as if solutions aren't available and endless public complaining is the only available course of action. Arguing about it accomplishes absolutely nothing.




And that's worked so well.

Actually, it is precisely because Rivian aspires to be a software company in the automotive sector that there could be substantial upside to partnering with Apple on some limited partnerships, assuming Apple is interested. Apple has deep pockets and spent who knows how many billions on a little project they called Titan for about a decade, give or take a few years.

And while Rivian has done a decent job in their auto-centric software stack, have you heard their audio? It sure sounds like they could use some help in that area. Rivian has had to let go of a number of folks recently, and this has been a challenging year. The economy isn't doing as well as you might hear from some quarters. Having some folks working on possible CarPlay integration may serve several goals -- a ready to roll feature in case market research shows valuable uptick in sales should it be offered, and the software guys just might stumble upon some great insights and ideas in the process.

The problem is that while the potential upside for Rivian is easy to see, it's far less obvious what Apple might gain.

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[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Actually, it is precisely because Rivian aspires to be a software company in the automotive sector that there could be substantial upside to partnering with Apple on some limited partnerships, assuming Apple is interested. Apple has deep pockets and spent who knows how many billions on a little project they called Titan for about a decade, give or take a few years.

And while Rivian has done a decent job in their auto-centric software stack, have you heard their audio? It sure sounds like they could use some help in that area. Rivian has had to let go of a number of folks recently, and this has been a challenging year. The economy isn't doing as well as you might hear from some quarters. Having some folks working on possible CarPlay integration may serve several goals -- a ready to roll feature in case market research shows valuable uptick in sales should it be offered, and the software guys just might stumble upon some great insights and ideas in the process.

The problem is that while the potential upside for Rivian is easy to see, it's far less obvious what Apple might gain.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.

Actually…

Horse is still dead.

 

[JM.]

 

[Obioban]

Anything non standard falls apart without CarPlay.

E.g. I use overcast to listen to podcasts, and podcasts 90% of what I listen to when driving. With CarPlay, my podcast library synced between all my cars (which are made by different car companies), and when I'm walking, and when I'm listening do them at my desk.

Without CarPlay, everything about that breaks down, which is basically everything I listen to while driving.

And there's all kinds of things like that. I have Home Assistant triggers activated via CarPlay. My calendar/address book is loaded up, with no extra effort, including my upcoming destinations. I can take Teams calls. On my older, sportier (less reliable) cars, I can use it to pull engine codes if I have issue. At the race track I use it to control Harry's GPS Lap Timer (data acquisition software).

For me, no CarPlay just means I won't buy that car. It is irrelevant how good the cars built in system is, as it'll lock me out of interoperability with my other cars.

PLUS...
For most companies, this is really just a strategy to long term lock the cars infotainment behind a subscription paywall. Or, sell your driving behavior. Or, both. Really, I don't trust any of the car companies-- any cars I own with cellular hardware have had their antennas unplugged so they can't call home. I don't trust IoT devices in my house to have any internet connection, so why would I trust one that can actually kill me (a car).

... and bluetooth streaming is a crap ass solution that I have no interest in.

 

[COdogman]

Anything non standard falls apart without CarPlay.

E.g. I use overcast to listen to podcasts, and podcasts 90% of what I listen to when driving. With CarPlay, my podcast library synced between all my cars (which are made by different car companies), and when I'm walking, and when I'm listening do them at my desk.

Without CarPlay, everything about that breaks down, which is basically everything I listen to while driving.

And there's all kinds of things like that. I have Home Assistant triggers activated via CarPlay. My calendar/address book is loaded up, with no extra effort, including my upcoming destinations. I can take Teams calls. On my older, sportier (less reliable) cars, I can use it to pull engine codes if I have issue. At the race track I use it to control Harry's GPS Lap Timer (data acquisition software).

For me, no CarPlay just means I won't buy that car. It is irrelevant how good the cars built in system is, as it'll lock me out of interoperability with my other cars.

PLUS...
For most companies, this is really just a strategy to long term lock the cars infotainment behind a subscription paywall. Or, sell your driving behavior. Or, both. Really, I don't trust any of the car companies-- any cars I own with cellular hardware have had their antennas unplugged so they can't call home. I don't trust IoT devices in my house to have any internet connection, so why would I trust one that can actually kill me (a car).

... and bluetooth streaming is a crap ass solution that I have no interest in.

If you did buy a Rivian I’m sure you would find a million other ultra-specific to you minor details that you are unhappy with in addition to no CarPlay.

So don’t buy a Rivian. Problem solved.

 

[JM.]

CarPlay is only ultra-specific in the way that having a radio at all would be, or having basics like interior lights.

 

[COdogman]

CarPlay is only ultra-specific in the way that having a radio at all would be, or having basics like interior lights.

Yes, how did we survive before Apple invented CarPlay?

Saying you will only buy a vehicle if it allows use of a third party infotainment mirroring solution, regardless of how many other good things there are to note about that vehicle is literally ultra-specific…. Just strap wheels on an iPhone.

 

[JM.]

Yes, how did we survive before radios in cars? Hell, how did we survive before ... cars?

Saying that if there are multiple great choices and having deal-breakers is logical and reasonable.

 

[COdogman]

Yes, how did we survive before radios in cars? Hell, how did we survive before ... cars?

Saying that if there are multiple great choices and having deal-breakers is logical and reasonable.

Comparing CarPlay to interior lighting and the invention of the radio (or the automobile) is just sad… not “logical and reasonable.”

 

[JM.]

It's exactly the same. They are all highly useful things that are not life-critical. You jumped the silliness game with making it a survival thing. Now own it.

 

[COdogman]

It's exactly the same. They are all highly useful things that are not life-critical. You jumped the silliness game with making it a survival thing. Now own it.

The invention of the automobile and the radio and lighting actually changed the course of civilization… CarPlay obviously did not and never will.

Who brought those ridiculous examples to the discussion today? ….checks notes… oh, it was you just a few posts ago

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

The home-made glue industry is still thriving I see.

 

[captainjp]

The invention of the automobile and the radio and lighting actually changed the course of civilization… CarPlay obviously did not and never will.

Who brought those ridiculous examples to the discussion today? ….checks notes… oh, it was you just a few posts ago

“How will we listen to our precious podcasts?!!”
Just listen to Howard stern on the native SiriusXM app and skip the podcasts.

 

[JM.]

Just listen to Howard stern on the native SiriusXM app and skip the podcasts.

Listening to Stern versus educational podcasts would explain a lot.

 

[COdogman]

Listening to Stern versus educational podcasts would explain a lot.

Believing that CarPlay is equally important as the invention of lighting, the radio, or the automobile also explains a lot

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