Rivian debuted new tech at its first “Autonomy and AI Day” in Palo Alto, California, Dec. 11, 2025.
Credit score: Rivian
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Electrical automobile maker Rivian Automotive has developed a customized chip, automotive pc and new synthetic intelligence fashions that can allow it to convey self-driving options to its forthcoming autos, the corporate revealed at its first “Autonomy and AI Day” on Thursday right here.
Shares of Rivian had been off roughly 3% throughout the hourlong occasion, and fell additional as OpenAI made its personal AI announcement Thursday, revealing its most superior mannequin but. The inventory was down as a lot as 9% in afternoon buying and selling.
Rivian additionally stated it plans to roll out an Autonomy+ subscription with “repeatedly increasing capabilities” to clients of its second-generation autos in early 2026, to be powered by its Rivian Autonomy Processors and autonomy computer systems.
The Autonomy+ providing will probably be priced at $2,500 as a one-time, up-front buy or is offered for $49.99 per thirty days to begin. By comparability, competitor Tesla gives its premium FSD (Supervised) possibility for $8,000 up entrance or a $99 per thirty days charge.
“AI is enabling us to create know-how and buyer experiences at a charge that’s fully totally different from what we have seen up to now,” Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe stated throughout the occasion.
Firm executives stated in a press release {that a} near-future software program replace will embody a “Common Arms-Free,” functionality, enabling Rivian clients “hands-free driving” on greater than 3.5 million miles of roads in North America, masking the overwhelming majority of marked roads within the U.S.
Scaringe stated the brand new superior driver-assistance system will proceed to enhance as extra miles are pushed, by means of bolstered studying.
Not like its major competitor, Tesla, Rivian stated it intends to make use of lidar, or gentle detection and ranging, methods and radar sensors in its forthcoming R2 automobiles to allow “degree 4,” or absolutely automated driving, as outlined by SAE Ranges of Driving Automation.
A passenger can sleep within the again seat in a degree 4 self-driving automotive whereas it carries them to their vacation spot in regular site visitors and climate circumstances. Waymo, the Alphabet-owned robotaxi chief within the U.S., considers its autos degree 4.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe on the firm’s first “Autonomy and AI Day” on Dec. 11, 2025, in Palo Alto, California.
Lora Kolodny | CNBC
Scaringe stated Thursday the corporate’s forthcoming self-driving autos allow it to pursue robotaxis, which Tesla has promised for years however has but to launch.
“Now, whereas our preliminary focus will probably be on personally owned autos, which in the present day characterize a overwhelming majority of the miles to the USA, this additionally permits us to pursue alternatives within the rideshare area,” Scaringe stated throughout the occasion.
Rivian is just not alone in aiming to ship autonomous methods that meet degree 4 expectations, whereas rolling out partially automated options alongside the way in which to drivers who typically need these to scale back fatigue on lengthy drives or make them safer behind the wheel total.
Tesla and Common Motors are engaged on their very own proprietary driverless methods, whereas Honda, Lucid and Nissan have partnered with venture-backed autonomous automobile tech startups (Helm.AI, Nuro and Wayve, respectively) to develop related methods with a variety of various technical approaches.
Rivian and Tesla inventory’s since Rivian went public.
Powering Rivian’s self-driving aspirations will probably be a brand new in-house chip, which is set to launch in 2026. Vidya Rajagopalan, Rivian vp {of electrical} {hardware}, stated the chip makes use of “multi-chip module” packaging and has “excessive reminiscence bandwidth,” which is “key for AI purposes.” Rivian’s chip boasts bandwidth of 205 gigabytes per second.
“Rivian is uniquely positioned to maneuver from a software-defined automobile and produce to the world an AI-defined automobile,” Rivian Chief Software program Officer Wassym Bensaid stated.
The automaker additionally introduced a brand new AI-powered “Rivian Assistant,” a next-generation voice interface launching in early 2026 on its first- and second-generation autos.
Rivian is below stress to show its future progress potential to buyers and to develop its buyer base amid slowing gross sales of battery electrical autos within the U.S. and competitors from Chinese language EV makers internationally.
The absolutely electrical automobile section has skilled a gross sales droop domestically after the Trump administration put an early finish in September to a $7,500 federal tax credit score beforehand out there for EV patrons within the U.S.
Shares of Rivian are up about 25% this yr, however stay off greater than 80% because the firm’s 2021 preliminary public providing amid inner and exterior challenges.
