Rivian rolls out Universal Hands-Free across 3.5M miles

Rivian is closing out the year with a massive software drop that officially takes its hands-free driving tech off the highway and into everyday territory.

The 2025.46 update expands the automaker's hands-free assisted driving footprint from 135,000 miles to more than 3.5 million miles across the U.S. and Canada. Dubbed Universal Hands-Free, the system now works on and off highways for second-generation (Gen 2) vehicles, provided lane lines are clearly visible. However, Rivian added a crucial caveat: it will not stop or slow down for red lights or stop signs.

Bringing end-to-end AI and customizable road attitudes

Alongside the expanded map coverage, Rivian is rolling out Autonomy Drive Styles. Powered by end-to-end AI models aimed at mimicking natural human driving, the feature lets drivers select between Mild, Medium, and Spicy presets.

These modes dictate vehicle acceleration, braking stiffness, and lane-change behavior across Universal Hands-Free, Highway Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control. Drivers can also dial their target speed up or down on the fly using the right thumbwheel on the steering wheel.

The update also zooms out the Driver Display’s Autonomy View, showing more of what is happening directly behind the vehicle to give drivers better context when merging or turning.

Native digital keys and perks for Gen 1

Rivian is finally rolling out native Digital Key support built on the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standard. Drivers with Gen 2 vehicles can add their car key to Apple Wallet on iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as Google Pixel and Samsung devices.

The system supports passive entry and key sharing with family and friends, requires Rivian app version 3.8.0 or higher, and delivers haptic feedback on Apple devices upon locking or unlocking. Rivian confirmed this architecture will serve as the foundation for its upcoming R2 and R3 lineups.

Older vehicles are not left behind. Both Gen 1 and Gen 2 owners can now toggle between driver assistance views and full navigation maps on the gauge cluster with a click of the right steering wheel wheel. Meanwhile, Gen 2 Quad-Motor trucks get exclusive access to Kick Turn and RAD Tuner for tighter off-road dynamics.

Why it matters

This update is a major statement that Rivian wants to be taken seriously as an autonomy powerhouse, not just an outdoor lifestyle brand.

Expanding hands-free driving to 3.5 million miles puts Rivian directly in the ring with Tesla's FSD and GM's Super Cruise. For daily commuters and road-trippers with Gen 2 vehicles, hands-free operation on non-highway roads is a massive usability upgrade.

However, we think the implementation carries real risks. Allowing hands-free driving on surface roads while refusing to handle stop signs and traffic lights creates a dangerous grey area. It places an intense cognitive burden on the driver to stay vigilant at every intersection, despite the vehicle encouraging hands-off relaxation.

Strategically, Rivian is playing smart. Shipping CCC digital keys and end-to-end AI models battle-tests core technology ahead of the high-stakes R2 launch, while keeping Gen 1 customers content with smart interface tweaks.