Rivian’s autonomy gamble faces its first real test

During an hourlong earnings call last night, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe spent less time talking about the production ramp of the all-important R2 SUV than he did hyping the company’s still-unproven autonomous vehicle ambitions.

But the company faces a crucial test later this year, when it rolls out its point-to-point hands-free driving feature — first to its own employees for testing and validation in 2026, and later to customers in 2027. Following that, Rivian says it will launch its first robotaxi vehicles in partnership with Uber in 2028. In short, the next two years will determine whether Rivian will succeed or fail in its high-stakes quest to become a full-stack autonomy player.

“We believe autonomy is a primary product differentiator, market share driver, and long-term value creator,” Derek Mulvey, VP for finance, said during the call.

Success is not guaranteed. Tesla has a huge head start with...

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