Rivian says Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are already obsolete and this is what's replacing it
Published on Jun 03, 2026 at 4:06 AM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jun 03, 2026 at 4:06 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
When Rivian didn’t include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there was some backlash – but the company has now doubled, branding those software models ‘obsolete’.
In this modern age of infotainment screens, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have practically become part of the furniture in a lot of cars these days.
But that isn’t the case over at Rivian.
In a recent interview, the company’s Chief Software Officer has explained the rationale behind this decision.
Rivian’s decision to snub Apple Carplay and Android Auto has been controversial
You may recall a few months ago that the CEO of Rivian declared that Apple CarPlay would never be coming to the company’s cars.
RJ Scaringe has made it clear that Rivian vehicles don’t support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, and probably never will.
The manufacturer was to rely solely on an in-house infotainment system.
That was a few months ago, and sparked discussion among Rivian users across the internet.
“Do I miss it? Sure. Is it as big of an issue as I thought it was going to be? No,” one wrote on Reddit.
“I guess I’m the outlier? I miss CarPlay. The Rivian system is pretty bare bones and is missing a lot of daily-quality-of-life features,” another said.
So it’s evidently divided opinion.
Has this mixed reception done anything to shift Rivian’s position? Not in the slightest.
What a higher-up at Rivian has recently said about the infotainment system
During a recent appearance on The Verge’s Decoder podcast, Rivian Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid offered further insight into the company’s position.
He made the case that advances in AI would totally change how drivers interact with their vehicles.
In fact, he even went so far as to say AI advancements would leave app-based systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto looking dated.
“What we’re seeing right now with the advancement of AI technologies is just another reason why I deeply believe that RJ and Rivian made the right choice by investing into our own technology and software,” he told Decoder.
“Cars are moving from, as you said, the buzzword ‘software-defined’ to ‘AI-defined’.
“The possibilities now for such deep AI integration in the car make the entire CarPlay debate completely obsolete.”
He opined that AI assistants would handle tasks, leaving the app-based model redundant.
No more flicking through screens and tapping on apps essentially.
Bensaid claimed that he’d seen demand for CarPlay wane among customers.
“Five years ago when we first shipped the R1T and the R1S, the number one request from customers was CarPlay,” Bensaid recalled.
“We did all sorts of surveys with customers at the time, and more than 70 percent of customers were requesting CarPlay.
“In the recent survey, that number is less than 25 percent because with the level of features that we have shipped to customers, level of end-to-end integration, and the level of convenience that we are bringing, CarPlay or Android Auto is no longer the topic of discussion.”
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
