At TechCrunch Disrupt, Rivian founder RJ Scaringe described how the company has built custom AI models, an in-house automated-driving stack with Uber, a 5nm chip developed with Arm and TSMC, and a $5.8 billion software and electrical-architecture joint venture with Volkswagen Group. He also discussed spinoffs Also (micromobility) and Mind Robotics (industrial robotics, 31% owned by Rivian), the latter now led by newly hired president Doug Field, a former Ford, Apple and Tesla executive.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-18
Slate Auto has disclosed capacity details for its upcoming low-cost electric truck, due to ship by late 2026. The base model starts at $24,950, undercutting rivals like the Chevy Bolt and Ford F-150, while still offering meaningful cargo space, though its towing capacity is limited to around 2,000 pounds.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-17
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said at TechCrunch Disrupt that the company plans to eventually allow AI agents from outside companies, such as Anthropic, to operate within its vehicles' software. Rivian already runs its own in-house voice assistant and agentic framework, which routes driver requests to either local or cloud-based models depending on complexity, and can access external apps like Google Calendar. Scaringe gave no timeline for the expansion and said Rivian would share more details at its December 'AI & Autonomy Day' event.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-15
Cox Automotive's new report shows electric vehicles captured 6.1% of the US auto market, their best share since the third quarter of 2025, marking three consecutive quarters of growth after sales fell when federal tax credits expired last year. Toyota, Rivian and Subaru led gains, with Toyota bZ and Lexus RZ sales roughly doubling after refreshed models added Tesla-style charging ports, bigger batteries and faster charging. Tesla's sales fell 20% year-over-year but it still sold more than half of all EVs in the quarter.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-14
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe announced at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 that Doug Field, formerly Ford's EV chief and a veteran of Tesla, Apple and Segway, has joined Mind Robotics as president. Field will oversee product, engineering and operations at the industrial AI and robotics startup, which Rivian founded a year ago and has raised over $1 billion for from investors including Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins, and Volkswagen and Salesforce's venture arms.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-13
Mind Robotics, the industrial AI and robotics venture spun out of Rivian last year, has hired former Ford and Apple EV executive Doug Field as president. Field will oversee product, engineering and operations day-to-day, while Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe remains involved with the company. The startup has raised over $1 billion from investors including Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins, and venture arms of Volkswagen and Salesforce.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-13
Mind Robotics, the secretive robotics spinoff founded by Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe in 2025, has named Doug Field as its president. Field previously led Apple's Project Titan car effort, served as Tesla's chief vehicle engineer during Model 3 development, and most recently ran Ford's electric vehicle and software division until earlier this year. Mind Robotics has raised over $1 billion and says it is building robots intended for use in Rivian's factories and other applications.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-13
Engadget tested a pre-production Rivian R2, the smaller electric SUV sharing design DNA with the larger R1S, including a boxy body, flush door handles and pill-shaped headlights. The tested unit included off-road touches like built-in tow hooks, a roof rack mount, an optional tow package with a 7-pin connector, a 5.2-cubic-foot front trunk with a drain, and support for bi-directional V2L/V2H charging, though the charging adapter has not yet shipped.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-12
TechCrunch's Disrupt 2026 conference begins in two days, running October 13-15 at Moscone West. Organizers expect more than 10,000 attendees, over 250 speakers across 200+ sessions, and 300+ startups exhibiting, including the 200 companies selected for Startup Battlefield.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-11
Rivian has released software version 2026.36 for its R2 models, introducing a Pet Cam feature that allows owners to view their pet via a live stream or snapshots on their phone's lock screen. The update also enables remote activation of Pet Mode through the Rivian app with a confirmation prompt to prevent accidental changes. Additionally, Rivian Assistant, an AI voice feature previously exclusive to R1 models, will now be available in R2 vehicles for managing navigation, entertainment, and climate controls.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-07
Lucid Motors produced 2,954 electric vehicles in the third quarter, marking a 54% decrease from the previous year and the lowest output since early 2025. The company also delivered 3,806 EVs, remaining steady from the previous quarter but below expectations, amid ongoing struggles to attract buyers for its luxury models. CEO Silvio Napoli has initiated cost-cutting measures, including layoffs and factory adjustments, while delaying the launch of a more affordable model, the Cosmos.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-05
TechCrunch has published the complete speaker roster for the Disrupt Stage at its Disrupt 2026 conference, running October 13-15 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Confirmed speakers include Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, Cerebras CEO Andrew Feldman, Science Corporation founder Max Hodak, Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley, and all five partners of venture firm Benchmark appearing together.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-05
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