RivianOS 2 Unifies R1 and R2 Software — SkimNews
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- RivianOS 2 (version 2026.31) began rolling out to eligible R1 and R2 vehicles today, the company's biggest in-car software overhaul since the R1 first shipped.
- Rivian unified first-gen R1, second-gen R1, and R2 onto a single software stack for the first time, after the lineups had drifted apart.
- Gen 2 R1 and R2 vehicles get Unreal Engine 5 for real-time 3D visualizations, while Gen 1 R1s remain on Unreal Engine 4 to stay responsive on older compute hardware.
- Navigation gains Real-Time Route Alerts that fold police and speed-camera data into Google Maps, sourced from local authorities, third-party providers, and community contributors.
- Connect+ ($14.99/month or $149.99/year) unlocks a dedicated weather app with air quality and a 10-day forecast, plus Mobile Live Trips for managing active drives from the phone app.
- Rivian Unified Intelligence powers the "Hey Rivian" assistant with hybrid edge compute on R2 and Gen 2 R1, while Gen 1 and Gen 2 R1 receive expanded cloud-assisted voice.
- New privacy controls across all generations let owners toggle hotword wake-words, limit location sharing, and adjust what driver-profile data the car retains.
Why it matters: The R2 is Rivian's volume play and the vehicle that most needs software feeling a generation ahead of gas-powered rivals in its price range, per the article — so unifying the stack now directly supports the launch that matters most. But 'one stack' still bends to hardware: Gen 1 R1 stays on Unreal Engine 4 while newer trucks get UE5, meaning the unification is real but not total, and owners of older vehicles will see a degraded experience.
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