It’s Time to Stop Dreaming About Android Auto and CarPlay in Rivian Vehicles

The reason is as simple as it could be, CEO RJ Scaringe says. It all comes down to giving in control of essential vehicle features to the likes of Google and Apple. Rivian says it wants to be in charge of the infotainment experience, so adopting Android Auto and CarPlay is not part of its plans.

Apple claims that CarPlay has become a feature customers are specifically looking for when buying a new car. The company’s data indicates that 79 percent of new-car buyers wouldn’t even consider a model that doesn’t come with CarPlay.

As such, ignoring this trend and not jumping on the Android Auto and CarPlay bandwagon could look like a missed growing opportunity. Rivian’s CEO says this isn’t the case. The company wants to be in charge of its software, and this is why updates are released regularly.

The Rivian founder also revealed that his company is always listening to feedback by keeping an eye on the main social channels. Rivian’s head of software development spends a lot of time on reddit, Scaringe explained, and content posted on YouTube and other social networks also plays a big role in the way new software releases are developed.

The EV maker says its primary goal is to control the software stack entirely. By allowing Android Auto and CarPlay in its vehicles, the infotainment experience is handed over to Google and Apple. The two companies would essentially become in charge of the way users interact with navigation software and audio apps.

Interestingly, Scaringe’s statements seem to indicate that adding Android Auto and CarPlay is out of the question right now. However, given the company is particularly listening to feedback, integrating smartphone mirroring in Rivian vehicles could still be back on the table in the long term depending on customer demand.

For the time being, however, it’s pretty clear that neither Android Auto nor CarPlay is part of Rivian’s software strategy. Scaringe explained on the Waveform Podcast that adding new features based on the received features sometimes takes only a few weeks.

Rivian isn’t alone in this strategy of maintaining control of the infotainment unit. Other carmakers have already confirmed similar plans, and Tesla is presumably the top dog on this front.

General Motors made the news earlier this month with a rather controversial decision, as the company will block Android Auto and CarPlay in its EVs starting in 2024. The announcement was received with much criticism from potential customers, proving that Apple’s statistics are very likely to be accurate. GM will use Android Automotive in its zero-emission vehicles beginning next year.