- Rivian's software chief has confirmed that the company's EVs will gain the ability to send messages by 2025.
- The text messaging solution will use native text-to-speech with a new voice technology stack
- Google Cast and the native YouTube app will come with the next software update
Two years ago, Rivian's software chief Wassym Bensaid told owners and fans that the automaker was still working text-to-speech capabilities.
Two years later and that functionality hasn't appeared in any of Rivian's electric vehicles.
In a press conference with the media and owners in November at the Rivian Space in Los Angeles, Bensaid said native messaging capabilities will be able to come to Rivians in 2025.
Bensaid admitted that Rivian “has made several attempts from text to speech,” but the problem, according to Rivian's CSO, is that the solutions available in the industry are “not great.”
The solution was there and ready to be shipped, but during the final test Bensaid refused to sign and said “no, we can't ship,” because “it was”it is split in half.” The manager said the issue is particularly prevalent among Android users, and the team wants to ensure that iOS and Android—although many Rivian owners apparently have Apple devices, according to Bensaid—have a seamless experience.
Another problem with previous efforts was compiling missing documents. “Support group discussion it's a real nightmare,” Bensaid said. He noted that emojis or reactions are also “a real nightmare.”
The problem with today's solutions is that “it's not a rich experience,” says Bensaid.
Bensaid said the team is working on a a new stack of voice technology that will redefine the experience. Text-to-speech capabilities will come on top of this new software stack, and he's been testing early prototypes for weeks. “It's way, way different. I mean, honestly, it's the kind of experience I really want to have,” Bensaid said.
The new Voice tech stack will complement today's Alexa implementation, according to Bensaid. The manager noted that he sees the future as everything accessible via touchscreen and voice, not just one or the other. Bensaid noted that AI offers a huge opportunity in this regard.
But it won't just be text-to-speech. There will be a visual interface on the screen to interact with text messages. Bernsaid wouldn't elaborate on what that might look like or how it would work other than to note that it's “a really nice interface.”
“So my message is, please bear with us,” Bensaid asked the owners. He went on to say that Rivian's implementation will be better than anything else in the industry today.
2025 Rivian R1S
But all that is yet to come. The next software update, according to Bensaid, will enable Google Cast and the native use of YouTube. Google Cast will come with support for more than 3,000 apps, except for Netflix, which Rivian is still working on with Google, according to a software exec. Dolby Surround Sound is on the cards, but no timeline has been given. Rivians already include Dolby Atmos if you use the new Apple Music app.
For now, Google Cast will only be on the front screen, but Bensaid said the team is looking into how to enable rear screens. Today, the only rear screen that Rivian offers is a small screen mounted behind the center console, just like in Teslas. Bensaid said that enabling Google Cast in the back seats would enable the feature to be used by passengers while driving.