Photo: Rivian | Edited
Rivian rolled out the 2023.22.00 update, which solves an annoying issue with Highway Assist. The latest update also introduces driver seat and steering wheel calibration and improvements to the phone screen and Alexa integration.
Rivian is known for its sound software update policy, which is appreciated by owners and serves as an example in the industry. In addition to fixing bugs in previous builds, the EV startup constantly adds new vehicle features. Of course, it sometimes introduces new bugs because this is how software development works. One good example is the soft brick some owners experienced after their 12-volt batteries died in the wake of the 2023.6.2 build fiasco.
Rivian explained that the update prevented the 12-volt battery from communicating with the high-voltage battery. Thus, it couldn't charge anymore and would die when depleted. Rivian replaced the dead batteries and acted quickly to solve the issue, but this still caused inconvenience for the unlucky owners. A subsequent update issued in May also caused headaches, as some owners discovered that Phone as a Key (PaaK) was not working correctly, while others reported degraded performance.
Software development is not easy, but I can say that Rivian is doing a lot better in this department than legacy carmakers. Often, Rivian updates bring new features, such as the Drive Cam and Charge Limit Slider introduced with the 2023.14.00 update. From time to time, Rivian software engineers take a break from adding new features and focus on optimizing the existing features. That's also the main goal with the 2023.22.00 update pushed to Rivian vehicles on Monday.
The new update's most important feature is the improved Highway Assist. After this update, the system should not disengage when driving through overhead gantry electronic toll collection stations. This has annoyed Rivian owners for quite some time. The build also corrects an issue that caused Highway Assist to disengage upon engagement right after a lane change. Interestingly, the update also says it deactivates the driver-monitoring camera, although Rivian promises this would not impact the safety or functionality of the vehicle.
Rivian also introduced a helpful feature that allows people to calibrate the driver's seat and steering wheel without going to a Service Center. When the calibration is lost, the Roomy entry and exit don't work until recalibrated. You can now do it yourself by going to Settings > Vehicle > Service on the center display, selecting Driver Seat or Steering Wheel under Driver Position Calibration and following the instructions on the screen.
To many people's delight, Rivian also revamped the Phone Screen with a new dial pad and an easier-to-navigate Contacts list with A-Z tabs. An easy-to-use Search field is also part of this update. Besides that, Rivian improved many vehicle functions, including Heating and Cooling, bird's eye view image quality, Autohold on steep grades, and Alexa integration.
Rivian explained that the update prevented the 12-volt battery from communicating with the high-voltage battery. Thus, it couldn't charge anymore and would die when depleted. Rivian replaced the dead batteries and acted quickly to solve the issue, but this still caused inconvenience for the unlucky owners. A subsequent update issued in May also caused headaches, as some owners discovered that Phone as a Key (PaaK) was not working correctly, while others reported degraded performance.
Software development is not easy, but I can say that Rivian is doing a lot better in this department than legacy carmakers. Often, Rivian updates bring new features, such as the Drive Cam and Charge Limit Slider introduced with the 2023.14.00 update. From time to time, Rivian software engineers take a break from adding new features and focus on optimizing the existing features. That's also the main goal with the 2023.22.00 update pushed to Rivian vehicles on Monday.
The new update's most important feature is the improved Highway Assist. After this update, the system should not disengage when driving through overhead gantry electronic toll collection stations. This has annoyed Rivian owners for quite some time. The build also corrects an issue that caused Highway Assist to disengage upon engagement right after a lane change. Interestingly, the update also says it deactivates the driver-monitoring camera, although Rivian promises this would not impact the safety or functionality of the vehicle.
Rivian also introduced a helpful feature that allows people to calibrate the driver's seat and steering wheel without going to a Service Center. When the calibration is lost, the Roomy entry and exit don't work until recalibrated. You can now do it yourself by going to Settings > Vehicle > Service on the center display, selecting Driver Seat or Steering Wheel under Driver Position Calibration and following the instructions on the screen.
To many people's delight, Rivian also revamped the Phone Screen with a new dial pad and an easier-to-navigate Contacts list with A-Z tabs. An easy-to-use Search field is also part of this update. Besides that, Rivian improved many vehicle functions, including Heating and Cooling, bird's eye view image quality, Autohold on steep grades, and Alexa integration.
Google News