Rivian will release a supervised point-to-point autonomous driving system for its Gen 2 and upcoming R2 vehicles later this year [1].
This move places the electric vehicle maker in direct competition with Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. By integrating high-level autonomy, Rivian aims to shift its brand identity from a rugged utility vehicle manufacturer to a leader in software-driven mobility.
CEO RJ Scaringe said the upcoming system will be very similar to Tesla's FSD. He said that the supervised point-to-point driving will be available on all Gen 2 vehicles and the R2 platform [2]. The system is designed to handle complex navigation from a starting point to a destination with minimal driver intervention.
"Later this year, we'll have full supervised point‑to‑point driving, which will be very similar to Tesla's FSD," Scaringe said [3].
While the 2026 release requires driver supervision, the company is planning a more advanced iteration for the near future. Scaringe said the company plans to ship eyes-off driving in 2027 [4]. This version would allow drivers to disengage their attention from the road entirely, a significant leap in autonomous capability.
"This technology will let drivers relax and not pay attention to the road ahead," Scaringe said [5].
The rollout targets the U.S. market and leverages the updated hardware found in the second-generation fleet. The company is betting that these autonomy features will be a primary draw for customers purchasing the R2, which is positioned as a more accessible model than the company's flagship trucks.
"We are planning to ship supervised point‑to‑point self‑driving on all of our Gen 2 vehicles, with eyes‑off driving arriving in 2027," Scaringe said [6].
“"Later this year, we'll have full supervised point‑to‑point driving, which will be very similar to Tesla's FSD,"”
Rivian's aggressive timeline suggests a strategic pivot toward software-as-a-service revenue. By transitioning from 'supervised' to 'eyes-off' autonomy within a year, the company is attempting to close the technological gap with Tesla and Waymo. If successful, this deployment could make autonomous capabilities a standard requirement for the luxury EV market rather than a premium add-on.
