Rivian Reveals New AI Chip, Rooftop Lidar Coming to R2 EVs in 2026

Electric truck and SUV maker Rivian opened the doors of its Palo Alto, California, headquarters this week for its Autonomy & AI event, giving us a front-row look at the company’s next-generation driver assistance tech. It also detailed how it’s using new AI tech to power future autonomous driving features and the new Rivian Assistant voice interface launching on its R1 and R2 EVs next year. I was seated up front as Rivian’s engineering leaders walked us through a major evolution in the brand’s hardware and software stack -- technology that will shape the upcoming R2 SUV and upgrade today’s R1 trucks and SUVs.

Rivian’s new brain: RAP1 and the Gen 3 Autonomy Computer

The powerhouse of Rivian’s next-gen tech strategy is its first in-house AI chip: the Rivian Autonomy Processor. This multi-chip module combines processor and memory into a single package, designed from ...