If you are a fan of Apple or Android Carplay, you likely want to make sure its a part of your next Rivian purchase.
Rivian, a brand-new truck and SUV manufacturer on the car scene, is bringing the concept of electric vehicles to pickup trucks and SUVs.
People are still incredibly curious about these new cars. Are they any good, and do they support features like Apple CarPlay?
Key Takeaways:
Unfortunately, Rivian isn’t implementing Apple or Android compatibility into their vehicles anytime soon, but that’s not to say that Rivian vehicles aren’t worth the investment.
The rest of this article will walk you through the Rivian vehicles and whether they feature Apple carplay.
What Are Rivian Electric Vehicles Like?
Rivian Automotive, Inc. is an all-American car company that makes electric vehicles, bringing the concept of a vehicle that’s not reliant on gasoline to SUVs and pickup trucks.
The Rivian R1S is a full electric SUV, and the R1T is a pickup truck with unique, dynamic features.
Sound Features of the Rivian R1T
As far as the tunes you can enjoy while you’re out and about in your Rivian R1T, the truck comes outfitted with a Bluetooth speaker slotted neatly under the center console.
Affectionately called the Camp Speaker, it features a lantern mode for your convenience as well as a USB-C port to charge your phone.
The Rivian R1T is a true outdoorsman’s dream, with accessories for just about any and every outdoor activity you could think up.
It’s even armed with a Gear Guard security system designed to protect your truck from any tampering while you’re enjoying the great outdoors.
Unfortunately, like the R1S SUV, Rivian has no plans to add Apple CarPlay compatibility to their truck anytime soon.
Perhaps it’s a software update that may be coming in the future, but at the moment, you’ll have to use the Rivian Elevation 360 with Alexa integration.
A removable Bluetooth speaker in the center console allows for Bluetooth compatibility on the go, but aside from that, there is currently no compatibility with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Unfortunately, this means that there’s no compatibility with various Apple and Android apps for music or navigation.
In particular, the Waze App is a useful feature to have on Apple CarPlay, which isn’t currently available in any Rivian vehicle.
According to the manufacturer, their goal was to create an immersive audio experience rather than focusing on extensive compatibility options.
Will Rivian Ever Add Apple CarPlay to Their Vehicles?
Just as with Tesla vehicles, Rivian hasn’t shown any particular interest in adding CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility to their vehicles, even back in their 2018 showcase of the R1T and R1S.
The reasoning for their disinterest isn’t well understood, but some people speculate that the software isn’t compatible with Rivian’s long-term goals as a car manufacturer.
Others assert that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto might eventually come to Rivian vehicles, just not as a default feature of the vehicle. Instead, the capability might eventually be available on a subscription service basis.
Of course, it could simply be that Rivian has no interest in integrating these systems into their vehicles due to the cost of licensing the service or because they have plans to develop their own dynamic way of interfacing with smartphones.
The R1S SUV
The R1S, for example, features a minimalist design that looks rectangular and long from a side angle. Inside, you’ll find three different interior options: Black Mountain, Forest Edge, and Ocean Coast.
The latter two cost an additional $2000, but each comes with vegan leather seats, natural ash finish, and Compass Yellow accents.
The R1S also features state-of-the-art entertainment systems with a 15.6-inch screen capable of LTE and Wi-Fi playback, as well as voice support for Alexa.
Unfortunately, there’s no compatibility with Apple CarPlay, which is disappointing for many people showing interest in this vehicle. At the moment, Rivian has no plans to add compatibility with Apple CarPlay or Android AutoPlay.
The R1T Pickup Truck
A true outdoorsy vehicle, the R1T retails for $67,500 and comes filled to the brim with features you won’t find in any other truck.
Most notably, this truck is a camper’s paradise, filled with endless storage space for all the bits and pieces you need to enjoy the great outdoors.
To start, the bed of the truck is four and a half feet long, extending to six feet when the tailgate is down.
Underneath the floor of the bed, you’ll find more storage space for a spare tire or anything else you need. It even has a drainage hole so you can fill it with ice to use as a cooler.
In the front, a spacious frunk offers additional storage for your gear, whether it’s a car repair kit or a few backpacks full of goodies for your next camping trip.
Perhaps the most famous feature of the R1T that has made the vehicle so highly sought after is the Gear Tunnel, a cubby that goes from one end of the truck to the other just in front of the rear wheel.
At 67 inches long, it can fit just about anything long and unwieldy that you’d need to bring on a camping trip. The pulldown double doors also serve as an access step to the roof or seating in a pick.
The doors even have their own little storage compartment for any smaller necessities you need.
All of these special storage features are complimented by traditional truck storage features, with additional cargo space under the back seats.
Final Thoughts
Rivian vehicles offer an incredible amount of versatility and are the newest contenders in the highly competitive and growing market of electric vehicles.
Rivian’s SUV and pickup have created quite a buzz with their wide range of innovative features, but the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto has disappointed many owners and fans who would otherwise love the vehicles.
Whether these features come to Rivian remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Rivian’s electric vehicles offer an outdoorsy adventure like no other.
