- Rivian plans to introduce hands-free autonomous driving by 2025 and Level 3 by 2026.
- The automaker’s systems rely on a combination of cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors.
- Mercedes-Benz is currently the only brand with an approved Level 3 system in the U.S.
By the end of this year, Rivian plans to roll out a hands-free autonomous driving system in its vehicles, with an even more advanced eyes-off system following in 2026. If it pulls this off, the company will join a growing list of automakers offering systems that aim to ease the burden on drivers—assuming, of course, they don’t hit too many roadblocks along the way.
While speaking at a press roundtable in San Francisco, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe emphasized that Level 2 and Level 3 systems will provide significant value for customers. The brand’s current Rivian Autonomy Program offers semi-autonomous features, including radar cruise control and automatic lane centering, but it still falls short of Ford’s hands-free BlueCruise and Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems.
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“We think there’s an enormous amount of value to customers, to having a robust first level two, but importantly, level three in very specific domains,” Scaringe said during the event, according to InsideEVs. “Imagine a world where you leave your house, you’re still in the vehicle, but you get to the highway, and you have all of your time…. You don’t have to be looking at the road. You don’t have to be grabbing the wheels to say, ‘I’m still here.’ The vehicle [will be] capable of doing that.”
Systems could be added to the upcoming R2 and R3 series
Scaringe added that Rivian is “highly focused on” launching the hands-free driving array in 2025 before following it up with an eyes-off, Level 3 system in 2026. Mercedes-Benz is the only car manufacturer currently offering an approved Level 3 system in some states in the USA, known as Drive Pilot. While it’s a highly effective system, the driver must be ready to take control at all times.
Rivian’s current R1T and R1S models use 11 cameras, five radar sensors, and 12 ultrasonic sensors to enable the various driver assistance functions. It’s possibly that only the recently-updated 2025 R1T and R1S models will get the new Level 2 and Level 3 systems rather than the company’s previous EVs. Other future models, like the smaller R2 and R3, could also launch with these trick self-driving systems.
