Other Manufacturers Kicking the Tires on Rivian Software / Interested in Partnership

Rivian Connect+ Requirement: Change in Policy or Glitch?

Rivian Mom · 2025-05-15T14:45:12+00:00

I've been using my phone's hotspot for months, and my Rivian connects to it automatically to run TuneIn and Spotify through the built-in apps on the main display. To be clear, this wasn’t Bluetooth streaming but actual phone data, and the apps worked perfectly without any issues. In Monday for the first time, I saw a Connect+ message pop up, even though the truck was linked to my phone’s data. I can still stream from my phone using Bluetooth, but the sound quality and user experience weren’t as good. This issue started between over-the-air software updates, though it might be tied to a specific date in the system. I tried a soft reset, but nothing changed. Has anyone heard if Rivian changed their policy on this? I remember Connect+ used to mention it provided "data" for streaming apps, suggesting you could use your own data instead. Now, it seems like you need Connect+ just to access the apps at all. I was surprised they allowed phone hotspots to work before, so this might be a deliberate change. I’m okay with paying for Connect+ if this isn’t just a temporary glitch. Any insights would be appreciated.

Rivian Mom

Active Wheeler

Jan 24, 2025

Saw multiple reports yesterday morning about other manufacturers reaching out to Rivian about a partnership similar to VW. You can read the report via the link below.

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/rivian-says-other-automakers-knocking-door-about-tech-vw-joint-venture-2025-01-24/

I found the report to be very interesting considering the timing relative to the other reports of Rivian moving towards more autonomy built into its platform and the recent Executive Orders regarding in-car technology from China.

The EO effectively eliminated some major players from the board for any legacy auto makers who were looking to outsource autonomy integration or were going to rely on Chinese technology to power their autonomous platforms. For companies that see in house development as too big of a fish to swallow, the idea of VW's JV with Rivian is probably very appealing. I think there's skin for VW as well, since they could theoretically create a software stack that works in other vehicles together under the JV and benefit from licensing as a partner.

I personally don't think that these things are happening in a vacuum, and it could lead to some really interesting developments around the time that Rivian releases their full year results for 2024.

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