Rivian‘s AI Assistant is set to launch in software update 2026.15, according to release notes posted by X account ‘RivianTrackr’.
The update — expected to begin rolling out next week — brings the AI-powered voice assistant alongside Profile PIN authentication and several Autonomy+ and infotainment fixes.
“2026.15 OTA update rolling out next week to Rivian Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles,” the Software Chief Wassym Bensaid wrote on X. “Say hello to Rivian Assistant!”
During Rivian‘s earnings call in late April, founder and CEO RJ Scaringe had already hinted that “finally, in the coming weeks, we are excited to launch the Rivian Assistant on R1 and R2 vehicles.”
Rivian owners had expected the feature to roll out in previous updates this year, after Bensaid stated late last year that the Rivian Assistant would be included on every existing Rivian vehicle — not just second-gen R1 models — in “early 2026.”
What It Does
Rivian‘s AI Assistant can control vehicle settings, climate, navigation, media, messaging, and calling.
The AI-powered voice can also reference the Owner’s Guide, answer general knowledge and follow-up questions, explain in-vehicle alerts, and walk drivers through troubleshooting steps.
Owners can activate it by long-pressing the left thumbwheel, tapping the status bar icon, or using the wake words “Okay, Rivian” or “Hey, Rivian.”
The feature replaces Amazon’s Alexa integration — when Rivian Assistant is turned on, the vehicle automatically disables Alexa and all Alexa integrations.
The assistant is available only on vehicles with an active Connect+ subscription or trial, and is currently limited to English.
Mobile App Integration
In version 3.12 of the Rivian mobile app, a new Rivian Intelligence section lets owners opt into Google Calendar integration and a Memory feature.
The feature learns preferences over time — such as favorite music genres, restaurants, and regular destinations. Both are off by default and can be deleted at any time.
Rivian has also indicated that other calendar integrations beyond Google are coming in future updates — a signal to Apple and Outlook users that broader compatibility is planned.
Five Months in the Making
The Rivian Assistant was first unveiled at the company’s inaugural Autonomy & AI Day in Palo Alto on December 11, 2025.
After promises of an “early 2026” launch, the timeline slipped. The feature was absent from the 2026.03 update in February.
When the 2026.07 release notes were published in early April — four months after the original commitment — the assistant was again missing.
In March, a Rivian loaner vehicle was spotted running a pre-release version of the assistant, offering the first look at its settings panel and confirming two wake words alongside toggles for Natural Interruption and Keep Listening modes.
The menu also included an option to use Google’s Gemini for LLM calls, suggesting Rivian was testing Google Cloud’s generative AI capabilities to power the voice interface.
Other Features
The other notable addition is Profile authentication.
Owners can now set a four- to six-digit PIN tied to their driver profile, so personalized settings are locked behind a digital key, phone key, or PIN on any Rivian vehicle they drive.
The setup is available through Profile > Account > Security > Profile PIN in the mobile app version 3.12 or later.
When the feature is active, the vehicle authenticates the driver only if it detects a registered key — otherwise, it prompts for the PIN.
Beyond the two headline features, Gen 2 trucks receive a handful of refinements.
The update improves defrost for the front driver assistance cameras to increase the availability of Autonomy+ features, and improves the performance and reliability of remote commands from the Rivian mobile app.
On the infotainment side, Rivian has fixed a rare issue that turned off HD Radio, rendering delays on the Drive Modes and Camping screens, color mismatches in Settings for Lane Departure Warning and Kneel status, and a rare range estimation hiccup at very low or very high state of charge.
Previous Updates
Version 2026.15 is the third public software release of the year, following a pace that remains slower than the near-monthly cadence Rivian maintained in 2025 — when the company pushed 11 over-the-air updates.
The final update of the year — the 2025.46 release in December — introduced Universal Hands-Free driving on more than 3.5 million miles of North American roads.
The first update of the year, version 2026.03, rolled out on February 19 under the name “Cold Snap.”
Version 2026.07 arrived in early April as a stability release.
It added Apple Music Dolby Audio support, improved infotainment stability and app launch times, and delivered Gen 2-specific fixes for Lane Change on Command rejection, steering wheel vibrations at highway speeds, and range estimate consistency. Gen 1 vehicles received 12V battery management improvements.
The 2026.07 rollout did not go smoothly, however, with the company halting the deployment after the build broke phone key and key fob functionality on Gen 1 vehicles and wiped owner data — including elevation records, saved radio stations, and contact addresses.
Deployment data from third-party tracking platform RivianRoamer showed installs dropping from over 2,000 per day to just four.
The rollout was resumed a few days later, with the release notes appearing identical to the original build — suggesting Rivian either re-released the same software after concluding the issues were limited in scope or applied under-the-hood fixes not reflected in the documentation.
R2 Deliveries on the Horizon
The update arrives as Rivian prepares for what could be the most consequential product launch in its history.
The company’s R2 mid-size SUV began production at its Normal, Illinois, plant earlier this year, with employee deliveries already underway.
Customer deliveries are expected to begin in June, with Rivian confirming on Thursday that the order configurator will open in the same month.
Rivian is targeting 20,000 to 25,000 R2 deliveries in 2026 within a total target of 62,000 to 67,000 vehicles.
The R2 Performance Launch Edition at $57,990 is the first trim to reach customers, with a Premium variant at $53,990 expected in late 2026.
R2 vehicles will be delivered with the Rivian AI Assistant included already.
