On Friday, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe announced that the company plans to launch an advanced hands-free driving assistance system in 2025 and a true autonomous driving system in 2026.
Scaringe stated that the advanced driver assistance system allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel and their eyes off the road, which will &#34;add tremendous value for customers.&#34;
Currently, Rivian's second-generation models are equipped with the &#34;Rivian Autonomous Driving Platform,&#34; which assists drivers but still requires continuous attention and control from the driver, similar to features offered by other automakers.
Automakers have been competing in recent years to roll out more autonomous driving features, such as lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. Leading electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla are shifting towards autonomous driving technology and robotaxi services.
Regarding policy impacts, Trump recently revoked an executive order issued by Biden in 2021 aimed at ensuring that half of the new cars sold in the U.S. by 2030 are electric vehicles. Trump also called for the termination of the exemption allowing states to adopt zero-emission vehicle regulations by 2035 and stated that his administration would consider ending electric vehicle tax credits.
Rivian CEO Scaringe stated that the company does not believe Trump's executive order poses a substantial risk to its loans for the Georgia factory. Earlier this January, Rivian finalized a loan agreement of up to $6.6 billion with the U.S. Department of Energy to help build the electric vehicle manufacturer's production facility in Georgia.
Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada, which could impact automakers and their suppliers. Scaringe pointed out that this could lead to a need for the automotive supply chain in Mexico to be restructured or incur higher costs, which could have &#34;very serious&#34; implications.
Additionally, Rivian's joint venture with Volkswagen has raised concerns, as Volkswagen agreed last November to invest $5.8 billion to establish a joint venture with Rivian to integrate advanced electrical infrastructure and Rivian's software technology for the future electric vehicle models of both companies.
In terms of technological advantages, Rivian's Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid stated that Rivian's architecture requires fewer electronic control units and wiring, reducing vehicle weight and simplifying manufacturing. This technology is core to building cars that can receive software updates over the air, while traditional automakers still lag in this area

RIVN

Currently, Rivian's second-generation models are equipped with the "Rivian Autonomous Driving Platform," which can assist drivers but still requires continuous attention and control from the driver, similar to features offered by other automakers

- Rivian plans to launch an advanced hands-free driving assistance system in 2025 and a fully autonomous driving system in 2026, according to CEO RJ Scaringe.  
- The company recently secured a $6.6 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy for its Georgia manufacturing facility, which Scaringe believes is not at risk from recent policy changes under Trump.  
- Rivian's partnership with Volkswagen aims to integrate advanced electric infrastructure and software technology, while its architecture offers advantages in reducing weight and simplifying manufacturing processes.

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Tesla's strong competitor Rivian: will launch a hands-free driving system in 2025 and achieve "autonomous driving" in 2026