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Rivian CEO Explains Why Apple CarPlay Won't Come to Its Vehicles
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Or, you know, use knobs, buttons and dials to control the rest of the vehicle and leave touchscreen for media only.
His argument doesn't hold up because offering CarPlay and Android Auto as an option doesn't prevent users from choosing Rivian's built-in options.
Here's the reality - I always have my phone. I'm not always in my car (indeed I spend relatively little time in cars). So all my music, connections to people, map history and searches, everything is on my phone. I want ready access to that in a big screen in the car. I don't want to have to duplicate all of that, relearn all of that in another most likely subpar experience duplicated by the car maker.
Somebody will keep offering CarPlay and Android auto and I will just buy from them.
Here's the reality - I always have my phone. I'm not always in my car (indeed I spend relatively little time in cars). So all my music, connections to people, map history and searches, everything is on my phone. I want ready access to that in a big screen in the car. I don't want to have to duplicate all of that, relearn all of that in another most likely subpar experience duplicated by the car maker.
Somebody will keep offering CarPlay and Android auto and I will just buy from them.
But you seemly support Apple absolute policy that "You will use Apple products APPLE'S WAY or not at all".
I think for "regular" gas guzzling cars Apple CarPlay is great. When I test drove a Tesla I did not feel like I needed CarPlay as their system was smooth and intuitive. I use CarPlay everyday in my outback and do like it, but it is not a butter smooth interface when comparing to a Tesla. Also with all the tech in a Tesla I can't see how CarPlay would integrate and give access to what you need while using it. Not familiar with Rivian, outside of the name and that they are a luxury EV. I am sure they have lots of tech as well as have designed a UI that fits with the branding of a car.
I think that in some Tesla models, you open the glove compartment by using two levels of menus in the touch screen.
Well, that’s the only power most of us have, right? The power to vote with our dollar and NOT buy. For some people, a lack of CarPlay is no big deal; for others, it’s a deal breaker. Manufacturers will change their position if people stop buying their cars, but enough people need to speak up to move the needle in any meaningful manner.
These companies want to have what Apple has: $20+ billion services revenue. They know if they make an ecosystem stick, they can achieve that. Problem is that a car doesn't travel with you like a phone. They'd need to make a Rivian or Tesla mobile phone, but Amazon and Microsoft both failed at trying to penetrate into that market.
Which is why they need to go back to physical buttons (not to mention how much safer having physical buttons versus all touch screen are). @arthography not sure why you would be mad about making cars more safe, but I guess you prefer distracted driving with touchscreens...
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I like CarPlay, our Bolt EUV has it, but I don't think I'd lose sleep if our next EV doesn't. I get the point the CEO is making, it's on point when he compares it to Apple's ecosystem.
As long as the interface is smooth and makes sense, I think that's best. (also, still don't think I can give up certain physical buttons).
As long as the interface is smooth and makes sense, I think that's best. (also, still don't think I can give up certain physical buttons).
The thing about support for 3rd party "car interfaces" - it might not be for now. But it gives you a more feature secured car going forward.
In 3-7 years when Rivian no longer feature update this version of the built in platform - end users will be in the gutter.
And if Rivian ends up like a lot of other wannabe Tesla's - as in going under - what use is Rivians own system if nothing gets updated (or if it even works?)
In 3-7 years when Rivian no longer feature update this version of the built in platform - end users will be in the gutter.
And if Rivian ends up like a lot of other wannabe Tesla's - as in going under - what use is Rivians own system if nothing gets updated (or if it even works?)
And you don't have to pay the $75 fee to update (in our case Toyota InTune.)
I guess this would depend on the size of your infotainment screen. Mine is about 8", and probably only half of that allows for Carplay, and it's still a better experience than my phone screen. For one, all of the text is blown up to be read at a distance. Interfaces are simplified. There are less distractions...mostly.
There are things that I can't believe haven't been "fixed" or changed though. If I'm in the music app, popping up the next turn in my directions right over top of the buttons I'm trying to press is absolutely stupid, especially while someone is driving. Also, those pop ups can't be dismissed without tapping an area outside of the notification, but still registers whatever you've touched. This is seriously clumsy UI, in the one place that especially needs to not be clumsy.
They are doing this so THEY CAN CHARGE for it. If they actually cared about the user experience they wouldn't put their garbage in the cars. They want your data + money so they can double charge after selling you the vehicle.
He never said he supports that. But there's quite a difference here, a car is hardly a hardware platform.
The electrics are on another level. They dont need CarPlay. They update their software often (my Tesla has gained several new features in just the past 3 months). The legacies need CarPlay because they never update and their interfaces suck.
2016 Volvos and later employed an infrared touch layer in addition to the capacitive touch for exactly this reason.
Have you driven one? Experienced their excellent interface? The reasoning is sound. Most car makers have a terrible interface but Rivian’s is top notch and doesn’t need CarPlay to be well-engineered and useful. The UI is beautiful but it’s not the Apple design aesthetic and as such, CarPlay would cut some corners and look dated/ugly. Most car infotainment systems can’t claim all that and look like a windows vista UI
But the article says that the car maker wants to make it a hardware platform, so it is exactly the same.
He never said that, true, but most posters here do not want 3rd party app store. That implies Apple's way or the hi -way.
In GM's case, that's definitely what they want. I don't know if or what Rivian is charging, so I'm not jumping to that conclusion. Instead, I think they're looking too closely at copying Tesla.
And that totally misses the value of Carplay. It's not just about having an updated and nice interface - it's about consistency from car to car, taking with you what you carry with you all day.
I keep seeing this. No. No they don’t but thanks for playing
Question: how do you access all of your media and personal information that is on your phone in your Tesla?
For example, I have a few hundred gigabytes of music, books on tape, etc. on my phone. Can I not listen to any of that if I were to buy a Tesla?
What if I want to call someone or send someone an iMessage? Can I not do that if I were to buy a Tesla?
What if I lend my car to a friend or family member? Will they have access to all my contacts, messages? Will they have access to their own media and personal information from their own phone?
Just wondering how all of this works without CarPlay.