Rivian aims to introduce a supervised driving technology this year that is comparable to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system.
At the Masters of Scale event in Anaheim, the company’s CEO RJ Scaringe stated that this advanced driver assistance system will be deployed for second-generation vehicles and the new R2 model.
Scaringe explained that the technology will allow the vehicle to drive itself from one point to another under the supervision of the driver. The CEO noted that this system will closely resemble Tesla’s FSD, saying, "Later this year, we will have fully supervised point-to-point driving."
The planned system represents a significant leap compared to Rivian’s current driving assistance system called Universal Hands-Free. The existing system can handle steering and speed control on clearly marked roads across approximately 3.5 million miles in the US and Canada.
Unlike the current system, the new technology will approach a level capable of handling more complex driving elements such as turns, traffic lights, and parking areas. If Scaringe’s statement comes to fruition, Rivian’s driver assistance technology will reach a level similar to Tesla’s FSD within a year of its customer release.
The CEO did not specify whether there will be a mileage limit for the system’s initial operation. Rivian has not immediately responded to inquiries about the announcement.
Last December, the company revealed plans to develop full autonomous driving technology for its future vehicle lineup. That plan also includes hands-free and eyes-off-the-road driving capabilities.
Scaringe also mentioned at the event that unsupervised autonomous driving will be available next year. As part of Rivian’s strategy, development efforts for autonomous driving aimed at robotaxi fleets are ongoing.
Under a $1.25 billion deal with Uber announced in March, Uber may purchase up to 50,000 R2 units to support its robotaxi ambitions.
