{"id":35608,"date":"2025-09-01T01:37:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T01:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/35608\/"},"modified":"2025-09-01T01:37:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T01:37:08","slug":"rivian-finally-activates-carplay-stellantis-steps-back-from-self-driving-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/35608\/","title":{"rendered":"Rivian finally activates CarPlay; Stellantis steps back from self-driving tech."},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Digital Trends\u2019 weekly recap of the revolutionary technology powering, connecting, and now driving next-gen electric vehicles.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rivian is giving iPhone owners something they\u2019ve been begging for: Apple CarPlay. After years of resisting, the EV startup has activated<\/a> support across its lineup, letting drivers plug in and get their Apple Maps, Messages, and Spotify right on the center screen. It\u2019s a big deal\u2014not just because CarPlay is convenient, but because Rivian had previously taken a Tesla-style stance of saying\u00a0\u201cno thanks\u201d\u00a0to outside platforms.<\/p>\n

The move says a lot about how buyer expectations have shifted, and it highlights an interesting contrast with Tesla, which continues to resist CarPlay entirely. Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n

Tesla parallel: Control vs. openness<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"AnWhen Rivian first launched the R1T and R1S, it copied Tesla\u2019s playbook: build your own infotainment system and keep drivers inside your ecosystem. The thinking was clear: if you own the screen, you own the user experience\u2014and maybe future revenue from navigation, streaming, or other services.<\/p>\n

Tesla still lives by that rule. But Rivian has decided customer demand matters more than keeping a walled garden. By adding CarPlay, it\u2019s signaling that it\u2019s more flexible than its Silicon Valley rival. In short: Tesla is doubling down on control, Rivian is opening the door.<\/p>\n

Buyer expectations have shifted<\/p>\n

This decision didn\u2019t happen in a vacuum. By 2023, over 90% of new cars globally supported CarPlay or Android Auto. McKinsey found<\/a> that nearly half of car buyers\u00a0won\u2019t even consider\u00a0a vehicle without them. J.D. Power surveys echo<\/a> the same trend: smartphone integration is now a baseline feature, not a nice-to-have.<\/p>\n

Rivian\u2019s own system is slick, sure\u2014but when almost every other car on the lot has CarPlay, skipping it felt like a miss. This update puts Rivian back in line with what buyers expect.<\/p>\n

\u00a0From keys to dashboards: The iPhone\u2019s role<\/p>\n

There\u2019s another layer here. Rivian already followed Tesla with a phone-as-key setup, letting you unlock and start your car with Bluetooth. But by embracing CarPlay (and maybe Apple CarKey in the future), Rivian is leaning even further into Apple\u2019s ecosystem. The iPhone becomes not just your car key, but your dashboard too.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an interesting hybrid approach. BMW was first with NFC and UWB keys\u00a0and\u00a0CarPlay. Tesla was first with BLE phone keys, but it refuses to touch CarPlay. Rivian is now mixing both: Tesla-style phone keys plus BMW-style openness. A clever middle path.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Positioning against Tesla<\/p>\n

Tesla owners have been grumbling for years about the lack of CarPlay and Android Auto. Rivian can now use that as a marketing angle:\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019re just as advanced as Tesla\u2014but we\u2019ll also give you the familiar tools you love.\u201d\u00a0For a company still building its brand, that\u2019s a smart way to stand out.<\/p>\n

\ufe0f Bottom line on CarPlay<\/p>\n

\"RivianRivian\u2019s CarPlay support matters because it:<\/p>\n