Rivian vs Tesla Mapping and Sensor Data

Rivian Mom · 2025-04-08T16:32:35+00:00

There’s this new device I heard avout called EV Play. From what I read, it promises to bring Apple CarPlay and some oretty interesting apps right to Rivian’s screen. I couldn’t find much chatter about it yet, but I read it’s a plug-and-play setup coming out this month. No clue on the price, but the thought of having my phone’s familiar layout front and center while I’m driving sounds like a dream. I’ve got my hands full with work and family, so anything that simplifies my day is a win in my book. That said, I’m not jumping in without thinking it through—years of juggling life have taught me to pause and ponder. Could there be any hiccups with adding this to my R1S? I wonder if it might mess with something down the road. And here’s a thought: could Rivian send out one of those over-the-air updates and block it after I’ve already bought it? I’d hate to invest in something only to have it fizzle out. I’d love to hear what other owners think—especially the seasoned ones like me. Is this a smart upgrade, or should I hold off?

Rivian Mom

Active Wheeler

Feb 15, 2025

Before I move forward in this particular thread, I just want to say that I'm clearly a Rivian fan and the following is more observational.

My sister owns a Tesla Model S while my friend owns a Model Y, and I've had the opportunity to ride in both a couple of times before and after I got my R1S. So naturally we've been comparing the two brands. Something I recently just noticed is the difference in the data that is displayed on both the map and on the visualizer screen behind the steering wheel. Things like traffic lights or stop signs or speed limit signs seem to be absent, but it's my understanding that Mapbox actually has that data, so was it a strategic decision to not include it on the map? It does Rivian have a plan to add that at a later date?

I've also noticed that Tesla is slightly better at visualizing other vehicles/objects around the car. Things like other vehicles using turn signals or show stop signs, etc. This doesn't feel like the smartest thing to point out but it's a little noticeable and makes it feel slightly less polished. I'm sure the obvious reason is likely to be that Tesla has had a longer amount of time/money to develop this, so it's just a more mature codebase.

I'm a Rivian fan girl any day and anytime. Despite me talking about stuffs like this, I'd still pick my R1S over any Tesla vehicle any day and anytime.

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