Because Rivian's AI Is Steady In Rejecting Apple CarPlay, This Is The CEO's Explanation

Test the resilience of Rivian's electric car. (Photo: Rivian)

JAKARTA - In the electrification era, when electric cars from various brands were able to accelerate very quickly, the experience in the cabin and digital ecosystems had become a new battleground

This is the reason electric car manufacturer Rivian made a firm statement by choosing to build their own digital ecosystem in the car and rejecting Apple CarPlay adoption.

Apple CarPlay has become a standard infotainment interface for many drivers, often because car manufacturer-made software is considered less intuitive. However, Rivian, one of the main players in the electric car market (EV), dares to take a different path, making the digital experience the main difference in the midst of increasingly fierce electric vehicle competition.

In an interview on Decoder! Podcast, Rivian CEO, RJ Scaringe, clearly explains why his company rejects Apple's popular system.

"We made the decision, which I believe, that in due course, customers will appreciate a smooth (seamless) digital experience," Scaringe said, quoted by Autoblogging, Thursday, October 9.

According to Scaringe, the main problem with CarPlay is creating a need for users to "jump" between the unique Rivian interface and the generic and similar CarPlay display in each car.

Rivian's vision is to create more la carte or total integrated systems. Instead of relying on mirroring from mobile phones, all the most sought-after third-party applications such as Spotify, Google Maps, Apple Music, and YouTube will be integrated directly into the Rivian platform.

"For us to take control of the close' (the glue) that brings all of this together becomes more important as we start integrating AI into the vehicle," said Scaringe.

This AI integration is the main reason. AI is expected to unite various application services and vehicle features into a unit of more personal and intelligent experience, something that is difficult to achieve if you have to share space with a third-party interface such as CarPlay.

Vehicle And Ecosystem Data Concerns

Rivian's decision also underscores the growing concern among automotive executives. Scaringe indirectly hints at the reluctance to let outside platform providers (such as Apple) know too much.

This includes sensitive data on vehicle health, driving behavior, and usage history. By fully controlling the platform, Rivian ensures they are in control of their innovations, updates, and most importantly, customer data and vehicles.