- Rivian’s chief software program officer confirmed the corporate’s EVs will get textual content messaging capabilities in 2025
- The textual content messaging answer will make the most of native text-to-speech by way of a brand new voice tech stack
- Google Forged and native YouTube utility will come within the subsequent software program replace
Two years in the past, Rivian Chief Software program Officer Wassym Bensaid instructed homeowners and followers that the automaker was engaged on text-to-speech textual content messaging skills.
Two years later and that performance hasn’t appeared in any Rivian electrical autos.
In a hearth chat with media and homeowners in November on the Rivian House in Los Angeles, Bensaid mentioned native textual content messaging skills will come to Rivians in 2025.
Bensaid admitted Rivian has “made a number of makes an attempt for textual content to speech,” however the issue, in accordance with Rivian’s CSO, is the present options accessible within the business “usually are not nice.”
An answer was in place and able to ship, however throughout ultimate testing Bensaid refused to log off and mentioned “no, we can’t ship,” as a result of it was “fragmented.” The exec mentioned the difficulty was particularly prevalent for Android customers, and the workforce needs to make sure each iOS and Android—regardless of most Rivian homeowners apparently having Apple gadgets, in accordance with Bensaid—have a seamless expertise.
One other concern with earlier makes an attempt included lacking texts. “Supporting group chat is known as a nightmare,” Bensaid mentioned. He famous emojis or reactions are additionally “actually a nightmare.”
The issue with right now’s options is “it is not a wealthy expertise,” Bensaid mentioned.
Bensaid mentioned the workforce’s engaged on a new voice tech stack that can redefine the expertise. Textual content-to-speech capabilities will come on prime of this new software program stack, and he is been testing early prototypes for weeks. “It is approach, approach completely different. I imply, truthfully, it is the kind of expertise that I need to actually have,” Bensaid mentioned.
The brand new voice tech stack will coexist with right now’s Alexa implementation, in accordance with Bensaid. The exec famous he sees the longer term as all the pieces being accessible via the touchscreen and voice, not only one or the opposite. Bensaid famous that AI gives an amazing alternative on this regard.
However it will not solely be text-to-speech. There will likely be a bodily interface on the display to work together with textual content messages. Bernsaid would not elaborate on what that may appear to be or the way it’ll function other than noting “it is actually a pleasant interface”
“So my message is, please be affected person with us,” Bensaid requested of homeowners. He went on to say Rivian’s implementation will likely be higher than anything within the business right now.
2025 Rivian R1S
However that is all to come back. The following software program replace, in accordance with Bensaid, will allow Google Forged together with native YouTube implementation. Google Forged will include the help of greater than 3,000 purposes, besides Netflix, which Rivian remains to be working with Google on, in accordance with the software program exec. Dolby Encompass Sound is within the playing cards, however no timeline was given. Rivians already characteristic Dolby Atmos when utilizing the brand new Apple Music app.
In the interim, Google Forged will solely be on the entrance display, however Bensaid mentioned the workforce’s the right way to allow it for rear screens. In the present day, the one rear display Rivian gives is a small display mounted on the again of the middle console, like in Teslas. Bensaid mentioned enabling Google Forged for the rear seats would make it so the characteristic could possibly be utilized by passengers whereas driving.
