No CarPlay for Rivian
For many drivers, Apple’s CarPlay infotainment system interface is the default view, as automakers are notoriously bad (that’s being generous, in most cases) at developing useful software. With the increasing push towards electrification, the in-car experience has the chance to prove itself as a differentiator. If all cars end up being electric and rocketing from 0-60 in three seconds, you have to stand out somehow, right?
Rivian thinks so and has its eye on the future. As a guest on a recent episode of the Decoder! Podcast, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe explains that artificial intelligence (AI) is a significant reason his company is shying away from CarPlay. It’s logical, and underscores how AI is about to become a massive player in cars, too.
What Rivian’s CEO said about AI and CarPlay
When jokingly asked if Rivian “still” hates CarPlay, Scaringe said, “No, we definitely don’t hate CarPlay. We’ve made the decision, which I’m very confident about, that in the fullness of time, customers will appreciate a seamless digital experience. To not have the need to jump between CarPlay, which feels obviously like CarPlay and so it feels the same in every car, and then what we create as a Rivian environment. And rather, think of it more à la carte, create all the same applications. You have YouTube, you can go to Spotify, you can go to Google Maps, you can go to Apple Music, you can go to everything. You can have all those integrations. But for us to hold the glue for putting that all together becomes even more important as we start to integrate AI into the vehicle.”
Rivian’s CarPlay talk isn’t new
Scaringe is describing a world of integrations, which makes third-party apps and services part of Rivian’s ecosystem. It’s what automakers do now; they just usually allow CarPlay, too. The Rivian CEO is also continuing a narrative thread around CarPlay that keeps poking its head out: automakers are worried about Apple’s involvement in vehicles.
Rivian aims to create an ecosystem where Apple’s various services are integrated with Rivian’s platform. Scaringe also hinted at concerns around Apple or any other platform provider knowing too much about a vehicle’s health or state, as well as your driving behaviors and history. Like Ford’s CEO, Scaringe is indirectly saying Apple CarPlay Ultra is not of interest to Rivian.
Rivian
The core issue, of course, is that automakers aren’t great at software. Integrations aren’t new, and automakers are still getting them wrong. It’s also bothersome to drivers who have to migrate between platforms. AI and voice controls may help, but we’re a long way from ambient computing in the car.
Final thoughts
The elephant in the room is that automakers are slow to update software. A reason people like CarPlay and Android Auto is that they are supported directly by Apple and Google, respectively. Drivers don’t have to wait to see changes reflected in their cars. When iOS or Android is updated, so too is their in-car interface.
Automakers are also prone to discontinuing support for third-party services. My daily driver, a 2024 Toyota, still can’t figure out how to integrate with Apple Music or Podcasts. That’s why I defer to CarPlay, and I’m definitely not alone.
