Rivian is preparing to release its first software update of the year, with changes to drive modes and new cold weather features that give drivers better visibility into how low temperatures affect range.
The update, version 2026.03, was identified by software-focused platform ‘Rivian Roamer’ but has not yet begun rolling out to customer vehicles.
The release is expected within days.
The update follows Rivian’s 2025.46 release in December, which introduced Universal Hands-Free driving on more than 3.5 million miles of North American roads, digital key support for Apple, Google, and Samsung devices, and customizable autonomy drive styles for second-generation R1 vehicles.
Apple Watch App
The update introduces a companion app for Apple Watch, enabling owners to access and control their vehicles from their watch.
Second-generation R1 vehicles with digital key configured will unlock automatically as owners approach. First-generation vehicles require manual input through the app to lock or unlock.
The app supports window venting, alarm activation, state-of-charge targeting, and cabin temperature adjustment via the digital crown.
Additionally, drivers can configure up to four quick controls for frequently used features.
Cold Weather Features
The update adds tools to help owners manage range in cold conditions.
The vehicle and mobile app will display notifications showing when and by how much range is affected by cold temperatures.
A battery graphic on the driver display, Energy app, and mobile app will use blue shading to indicate energy temporarily unavailable due to cold.
The system provides preemptive alerts when vehicles are susceptible to range loss and when range has declined due to battery temperature.
A guide accessible through the mobile app offers tips on recovering range, including drive scheduling, Snow mode usage, and cabin preconditioning.
Rivian said it improved charging logic to better prepare the battery for subsequent drives and recover energy more predictably.
The cold weather features follow software issues that affected Rivian vehicles late last year.
A bug displayed incorrect battery charge levels on an unknown number of vehicles, leaving some drivers stranded when their cars ran out of power despite showing remaining range.
Rivian urged customers in a November email to install update 2025.38.30 and said the issue was software-related.
Weeks later, in mid-December, Rivian disclosed a separate issue preventing certain R1 vehicles from AC charging at home or with Level 2 chargers in cold weather.
“We’ve identified an issue that prevents certain R1 vehicles from AC charging at home or with Level 2 chargers when in colder weather,” the company said in an email to R1T and R1S owners. “A permanent fix for this issue will be available next week in an upcoming OTA update.”
Drive Mode Changes
Sport mode is now available on all dual-motor variants, with standard ride height and firm and moderate ride feel settings.
Performance dual-motor variants gain Launch mode for closed-circuit track use, providing 0-to-60 mph and quarter-mile statistics with driver coaching.
Rock Crawl mode top speed increases to 33 mph for quad-motor and tri-motor variants.
Rivian redesigned Kneel mode to lower vehicles further for easier entry and loading.
The feature now operates from high ride height across all on-road drive modes and can be activated via quick controls at speeds below 20 mph.
Infotainment Updates
The update upgrades the infotainment system to Unreal Engine 5.5, improving anti-aliasing, animations, and rendering capacity for surrounding vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians on displays.
Florida Power & Light FPL EVolution charging locations now appear in navigation with real-time status and speed data.
Second-generation vehicles receive fixes for Universal Hands-Free, including issues with take-over requests near toll gantries and automatic re-engagement after manual lane changes.
Notification timing for traffic lights and stop signs during Universal Hands-Free operation has been adjusted.
R2
Separately, the first media reviews of Rivian‘s upcoming R2 SUV will be published on February 10, after InsideEVs accidentally disclosed the embargo date in a video later removed from YouTube.
The R2 is expected to be initially launch in a Performance Dual Motor configuration, with Rivian prioritizing higher-margin trims before scaling production.
Availability of the $45,000 base variant in 2026 has not been confirmed.
Rivian shares closed 7.8% higher on Friday at $14.80.
