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There’s not typically information within the EV world that baffles me, and even actually surprises me, however I’ve been a bit of thrown off by some bulletins from Rivian this week, together with how they’ve come about.
Rivian is a cool EV startup that I actually like. It may truly be the corporate I’m most wanting to see succeed at this second. It appears to have an excellent core, an excellent coronary heart, and an excellent plan. The Rivian R2 and R3 are on the prime of my record for automobiles I’d be most involved in shopping for subsequent. I additionally love that Rivian Amazon supply automobiles are all over the place, and it’s thrilling to see that Rivian and Volkswagen have teamed up to help each other advance within the more and more aggressive EV area.
However I’m a bit confused about Rivian’s latest strikes round driver-assist know-how. To begin with, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said this week that the corporate goals to launch hands-off superior driver-assist know-how in 2025 and eyes-off driver-assist tech in 2026, with the implication that it will be a pacesetter on this.
I’m confused for just a few causes, and it’s occasions like these that I resort to bullet-point lists. Right here are some things that come to thoughts on this information:
- GM’s Cruise (“Super Cruise”) has been engaged on autonomous driving for years, and launched precise robotaxis. Presumably, it’s effectively forward of Rivian on this. Proper?
- Mercedes-Benz has had hands-free driving — to a restricted extent — in a few of its automobiles for a few years. Once more, is it not forward of Rivian on this?
- You’ve acquired Tesla’s “Full Self Driving” tech as effectively, in fact, and its connection to rising AI at Tesla has largely triggered Tesla’s inventory value to skyrocket in latest months or years. Is Rivian’s concentrate on driver-assist tech a method to assist with the inventory value and monetary backing? Or is it actually in some way near Tesla in reaching hands-off and eyes-off autonomous driving?
- How a lot software program and {hardware} has Rivian truly developed on his personal on this area, and what can it supply to different automakers that NVIDIA and Mobileye can’t?
- If Rivian is certainly reaching excessive ranges of semi-autonomous or autonomous driving, how is it that we haven’t heard extra about this improvement lately?
- Briefly, is all of it simply hype, or is Rivian truly in a position to develop into a pacesetter on extremely superior driver help or autonomous driving know-how?
“Advancing driver assistance technology will give buyers their ‘time back,’ Scaringe said, allowing them to get on their phones, read books or send emails while at the wheel.” Hmm … that sounds extra like Elon Musk than RJ Scaringe. Scaringe additionally added that superior AI is “something we’re hyper focused on.” As David Havasi stated within the video dialogue under, RJ isn’t the kind of man who makes huge, daring claims with out being able to again them up, he’s not the PT Barnum kind. Nevertheless it’s actually laborious to not be a bit of cynical about what’s going on right here. What am I lacking? Can anybody reply the questions above?
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