Rivian, the electric car company, is releasing new software today. The main feature is Enhanced Highway Assist, which controls steering, acceleration, and braking on compatible highways. It relies on an infrared camera in the rearview mirror to ensure that the driver continues to pay attention to the road, even if their hands shouldn’t be on the wheel. This resource is only available for Generation 2 Rivian vehicles; the blog post does not say whether it will be available for Generation 1.
There’s also a new driving mode for the Rivian Performance Dual-Motor line of dual-motor cars. Rally mode is now available as one of the off-road mode options. When enabled, the vehicle will respond better to steering and throttle response on different types of terrain. Several twin-engine vehicles also receive an aftermarket upgrade that provides three new driving modes: Rally, Sport and Soft Sand. The cost of this upgrade is $5,000.
Both Gen 2 and Gen 1 receive other software updates. The side mirrors automatically tilt when the car is in reverse, allowing the driver to better see their wheels and the curb when parallel parking, and a tire puncture detection feature is part of the package. Rivian is also adding a wheel type change option to the mobile app’s settings menu to provide more accurate range estimates.
