Autonomous driving is trending and Rivian also wants to join the race, it has just confirmed that before the decade ends its cars will also be able to do things on their own. From going to pick up a friend to taking care of an errand while you are at home relaxing. And careful, it is not just anyone saying this, it is their CEO, RJ Scaringe, who knows the future is already knocking at his door.
Rivian and the technology of the future
The idea is that your car stops being “yours” and becomes a personal assistant on wheels, like your own robot, a companion that is 100 percent autonomous and that you can ask to pick you up after a night out or on a day when you simply do not feel like driving.
But the doubts still exist, what role does AI play in all this? And what does Tesla think? Because if we talk about autonomous cars, Musk always appears in the debate, right?
In less than five years
According to Scaringe, the path is already laid out, first hands free driving on practically any road; then point to point navigation without you having to drive, a few years of supervision, but little by little that supervision will disappear.
If everything goes as they say, by 2028 or 2029 Rivian cars will be able to make complete trips without anyone having to look at the road, and it is not a crazy idea even though there are only 2–3 years left. Their idea is for them to function like a “robot” that moves around the city doing your errands, and honestly, we love the idea.
Total independence
What Rivian proposes is moving from a car that “assists you” to one that “acts alone” and it will obviously need AI to program this system, and the main problem it will have to overcome is that models must be able to interpret the world the way we do, anticipating risks and learning from each movement, always preserving everyone’s safety.
The market
If services like Waymo or Tesla’s famous Robotaxi already work in certain cities, when will that reach private cars? Rivian wants to be the one who opens that door, because whoever takes that step will position themselves in first place in the race.
And Tesla?
Well, while Rivian promises, Tesla shows. Elon Musk has been saying for years that the fully autonomous car is about to arrive, and now even more because they already have Model Y vehicles driving around Austin with no human intervention.
Tesla wants to deliver its first 100 percent autonomous cars this very year, while Rivian aims for 2028–2029. Two different strategies, but the same prize, taking the market.
Two paths, one destination
In the end, Tesla and Rivian are competing to be the world reference the day we stop using our hands to drive, and for those of us who still have not managed to get our driver’s license, we love this idea!
Why are they not available?
Because everything requires a process, and before releasing these vehicles onto the streets, it must be demonstrated that they are infinitely safer than a person in practically all everyday situations, an intersection, a distracted pedestrian, a cyclist that appears suddenly… Any example could end in tragedy if it is not anticipated with enough time.
And then there are the laws, because technology moves fast, but regulations not so much. Approving driverless cars still has to undergo intense debate and a regulatory framework that proves everything is in order.
The future has already arrived… and soon it will come pick you up
What Rivian and Tesla are proposing is a huge change to our daily routine. Imagine that your car could come for you, move through the city without you driving it, or run an errand while you do something else! What a wonder…