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Rivian launches hands-off driving assist in latest software update
Rivian is finally making its way into the world of automated driving.

Electric vehicle (EV) maker Rivian debuted a new software update this week, and as part of it, the company has started rolling out a hands-off driving assistance system.
Rivian announced the software update in a press release on Tuesday, featuring the newly launched Enhanced Highway Assist for its Gen 2 R1T and R1S, as well as a performance upgrade and a few other improvements. In a separate release, Rivian has also detailed some of the gears behind its approach to autonomy, highlighting that the Enhanced Highway Assist is available for use on as many as 135,000 miles of highway in North America.
Below is a video from CEO RJ Scaringe and VP of Autonomy and AI James Philbin, along with a few more details about the software update and some information from the automaker about the in-house Rivian Autonomy Platform.

Credit: Rivian
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Enhanced Highway Assist for Gen 2 vehicles
The company’s latest software update is deploying the new Enhanced Highway Assist to Gen 2 vehicles, which will let drivers take their hands off the wheel for extended periods of time, not unlike Tesla’s Supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD). For the time being, the feature is being offered to owners for free, though it’s not clear if Rivian plans to eventually start charging for the suite.
Enhanced Highway Assist is able to control the vehicles’ steering, acceleration, and braking, and Rivian also uses an infrared cabin camera embedded in the interior rearview mirror to monitor driver attention.
Rivian Autonomy Platform
In the press release dedicated to its autonomy program, Rivian notes that its vehicles include a multimodal suite of 11 cameras and five radars, offering sensor redundancy and a 360-degree view. The company also says that its internally developed cameras have the highest resolution of any vehicle in North America, while its radar systems are intended to help detect objects over longer distances and in low-visibility conditions.
“We are excited to continue releasing new updates and dramatically expanding our autonomy features,” Philbin said. “Everything on our Gen 2 roadmap is capable with the hardware on our vehicles today.”
Rivian says its vehicles also include an on-board compute module that’s capable of more than 200 trillion operations per second, while the company’s machine learning models are trained on the latest ML research and transformer architectures.
Performance Upgrade for Dual-Motor (Gen 1 and Gen 2)
Rivian has also debuted a $5,000 Performance Upgrade for Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles with the Standard+, Large and Max battery packs, unlocking 665 horsepower and 829 lb.-ft. of torque. The upgrade also adds three new drive modes, dubbed Sport, Rally, and Soft Sand, to the currently available All-Purpose, All-Terrain, and Snow modes.
Owners can purchase the upgrade from the Rivian mobile app or account page, and it will be downloaded to the vehicle through an over-the-air (OTA) software update.

Credit: Rivian
Rally Mode comes to Performance Dual-Motor vehicles
The update also adds Rally Mode to Performance Dual-Motor vehicles, offering heightened throttle response, crisper steering on just about any terrain. To use the feature, drivers will simply need to switch into Off-Road mode, which will let them select Rally Mode.
Wheel Swap
Owners will now be able to change the vehicles’ wheel type in the settings menu, offering improved range estimates.

Credit: Rivian
Go Chime
Rivian has added an audible chime for when a stopped vehicle ahead starts moving, signaling to the driver that they can start driving too. The chime will first be added to the EV maker’s Gen 2 models, before later rolling out to Gen 1.
Side Mirror Auto-Tilt on Reverse
When drivers shift into reverse, Rivian’s sideview mirrors will now automatically tilt downward to show the curb and road, making parallel parking easier. This feature will also go out to both Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles.
Control Chargeport Door from Mobile App
Drivers will now be able to control their charging port door remotely using the mobile app, adding an extra layer of protection for those who walk away without closing it manually.
Tire Puncture Detection
Rivian has added proactive detection for tire punctures and slow leaks, set to notify drivers of a potential flat tire before it happens.
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News
Tesla gets major upgrade that Apple users will absolutely love
Tesla is unloading a new feature for iPhone users that they will absolutely love.

Tesla is giving its owners who use iPhones and the iOS platform a major upgrade that will make the vehicles more compatible with the current capabilities of Apple devices.
Much to the chagrin of Android users, Apple iPhone users who own Teslas are usually the first to get new features.
However, Tesla is rolling out a new feature to iPhone users that will only be available to them, as Live Update compatibility is now rolling out.
🚨 Tesla Supercharging now will give Live Updates to iOS users
This will help Tesla owners with iPhones track their charging progress while using other apps pic.twitter.com/sjmnjj5BCC
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 28, 2025
Live Updates on the iPhone allow users to track the progress of tasks while using other apps. For example, uploading a post on X can be tracked while using an internet browser, as the Dynamic Island, the small display near the speaker on an iPhone, will show progress.
Tesla will now do this for Supercharging, a new update shows. The Dynamic Island is not the only thing that will monitor the progress of Supercharging, though. Updates will also be visible on the lock screen and as a drop-down notification:
- Credit: @Deandawiz | X
- Credit: @Deandawiz | X
- Credit: @Deandawiz | X
You will need iOS 17.2 or newer to use this feature.
The Supercharging updates will show the current State of Charge (SoC), time remaining, and price of the current session. These notifications will make the charging process easier when you’re not inside your Tesla, as many Superchargers are located in retail settings.
You’ll be able to monitor the price and time remaining with a quick glance at your phone.
News
Tesla rolls out new crucial safety feature aimed at saving children
Tesla has been working on this child detection feature for several years.

Tesla is finally rolling out a new, crucial safety feature that is aimed at saving children from being left in the car.
Over the past few months, we have reported on a feature Tesla was planning to roll out in its vehicles that would help keep children out of hot cars unattended.
Tesla set to roll out new child safety and navigation features, coding shows
The company has been working on a solution to this problem for several years, as it has been working on an ultrawave sensor that would detect heartbeats instead of movement, as cameras would.
Now, Tesla is implementing the feature in its vehicles with Software Update 2025.14.12, calling it “Child Left Alone Detection.”
The release notes, via Not a Tesla App, show that the vehicle and the Tesla app will both make various attempts to alert the driver of a child in the car:
“If an unattended child is detected, the vehicle will flash the exterior indicator lights, play an alert tone, and send a notification to your Tesla app. This will repeat at regular intervals until you return to your vehicle. Cabin data is processed locally and is not transmitted to Tesla.
This feature is enabled by default. To disable, go to Controls > Safety > Child Left Alone Detection.”
Tesla later said that the feature is currently rolling out to mid-2023 and later Model 3 vehicles in Europe initially, while other models and regions will receive the update in the coming months.
News
Tesla Semi frames stack up in Nevada as production nears
Tesla Semi frames are being spotted outside of the Nevada production facility ahead of initial high-volume manufacturing.

Tesla is moving closer to the initial production of the Semi later this year, and outside of its dedicated factory in Nevada, which will be responsible for building the all-electric truck, frames, and other parts of the vehicle, are beginning to stack up.
The Semi production facility is located on the same property as Gigafactory Nevada, and is moving closer to completion as the construction crews on site have already enclosed walls.
Semi Factory progress update pic.twitter.com/OQ1oXvnjev
— Tesla Semi (@tesla_semi) April 28, 2025
Now, production is moving even closer as parts of the Semi were spotted outside of the Semi production facility in Nevada. The images were captured by Zanegler, a Tesla Semi enthusiast and Giga Nevada tracker:
Assemble these parts and you have the beginning of a Tesla semi. pic.twitter.com/ygCBUjWcJ3
— Zanegler (@HinrichsZane) May 26, 2025
The Semi is already used by a handful of companies, including U.S. Foods, Frito-Lay, and PepsiCo. However, the vehicle is not up for public use quite yet, as Tesla is working with various companies to carry out pilot testing of the Semi to see how it performs during regional runs.
Tesla Semi fleet from Frito-Lay gets more charging at Bakersfield factory
The results have been very encouraging, with the Semi even completing a 1,000-mile run in a single day two years ago.
Now, Tesla is truly focusing on the launch of the factory, which will put production into full swing moving into 2026. Earlier this year, Lars Moravy, Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering, gave an update on the Semi and the company’s current timeline for the product:
“So, we just closed out the Semi factory roof of walls last week in Reno, a schedule, which is great with the weather. In Reno, you never know what’s going to happen. But we’re prepping for mechanical installation of all the equipment in the coming months.
The first builds of the high volumes in design come late this year in 2025 and begin ramping early in 2026. But as we’ve said before, the Semi is a TCO, no-brainer. I think it’s really similar to Optimus. It’s going to be set by how much people pay and it has the total cost of ownership, it’s much, much cheaper than any other transportation you could have.”
Tesla also started ordering parts for the Semi and Cybercab after the tariff situation between the U.S. and China was alleviated.
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