Agreed!
Because most of our personal data is on our phones, and Rivian will never be able to access all of it.
The massive flaw of this strategy is SYNCING. It's absolutely horrible to listen to a podcast in your car, and then once you reach your destination and leave the car, you want to pick up where you left off, BUT it hasn't SYNCED with my iPhone.. I literally have to go to the spotify app on my iPhone, and pause the podcast in the app, then leave the car ALWAYS just to make sure it picks up at the same second I left it in the car.
On the latest episode of The Verge's Decoder podcast, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told guest host Joanna Stern why the EV maker continues to pass on Apple's CarPlay — both the standard version and the more advanced CarPlay Ultra.
Echoing his previous comments on the matter, Scaringe said Rivian is focused on offering a "seamless digital experience," where customers do not need to switch between its own software and CarPlay. Instead, he said Rivian prefers to provide an à-la-carte selection of built-in apps, such as Apple Music, Google Maps, Spotify, and YouTube.
Scaringe said he is "very confident" in Rivian's decision to skip CarPlay, especially as it plans to integrate AI into its vehicles over the next 18 months. For example, he said Rivian is planning a native AI-powered voice-to-text feature for messaging.
"We're really convicted on this," he said.
Nevertheless, Scaringe acknowledged that some customers will not purchase a Rivian given the lack of CarPlay. "We accept that," he said.
"Some of those decisions not everyone's going to agree with," he said. "That's okay."
Article Link: Rivian CEO Doubles Down on Decision to Not Offer Apple CarPlay
CarPlay doesn't tell you what car ux you should have, it's a simple choice. If Rivian's is superior, it will win out, no? Apple allows all kinds of apps on their devices. All of google services, Microsoft services, Spotify, shall I go on? Why should I be forced to subscribe to services via a closed system for things that I already use elsewhere? Both iOS and Android OS let you migrate everything across if you switch platforms, for free. Data is like gold and these greedy companies just want to mine it for profit. At least Apple offers you the choice on what you want on your device, does Rivian? Your analogy is flawed.
And when it's time for that in house system to be updated you don't think it'll be part of your next service charge? Good luck when new roads are constructed and your in house GPS needs a maps update. CarPlay is simply a passthrough mirror, not a takeover of a manufacturers system.
It's not entitlement. I just know what I want as a consumer, and it's called CarPlay.
Totally fair that OEM systems need updates—and those can get bundled into service or paid map refreshes depending on the brand. That’s exactly why many drivers prefer phone‑based nav: Maps, Waze, and music apps update on the iPhone without waiting for dealer firmware. Also, classic CarPlay is mostly an app projection layer, so it doesn’t ‘take over’ the car; the deeper stuff people worry about is the new CarPlay Ultra, which only goes beyond projection if the automaker opts in. That’s why some brands are pushing back, while others like Aston Martin are embracing it. So it really is a trade‑off: OEM control and integrated services vs. faster app cadence and familiarity—both valid approaches
Yeah, it's not a good move by Rivian to draw more attention to this. They just reminded a lot of people why they don't want a Rivian.
Totally fair—knowing what a consumer wants isn’t entitlement; the debate is about whether automakers should be required to offer it versus retaining control over their own software and data, and that’s where opinions split
I drive a Tesla. Their interface is sleak. The kind that's as beautiful as it's dumb. This might be the reason why I might eventually switch to another brand. Oh, and by the way, most Teslas have a landscape screen, not vertical.
Tesla gives you satellite view, Tune in and Spotify/Apple music compatibility (not to be confused with an actual subscription, you'd have to pay for that too) for a mere 15 bucks a month. Did you say monetization ?
