Rivian Says All Its Electric Vehicles Will Now Come With Driver Assistance System

Amazon.com, Inc AMZN-backed electric vehicle company Rivian will place its hands-free driver assistance system “Driver+” as standard in every vehicle it sells.

What Happened: The Plymouth, Michigan-based automaker said that the driver assistance system will automatically steer, adjust speed, and change lanes at the driver’s command.

At launch, the system will be available on select highways and more roads will be added through over-the-air updates.

“Like all driver assistance systems available today, Driver+ requires your full attention on the road at all times and you should not use a hand-held device behind the wheel,” Rivian said on its website.

Driver+ is powered by two redundant compute platforms, 12 ultrasonic sensors, 10 exterior cameras, 5 radars, and high precision GPS, according to the automaker. A camera inside the vehicle monitors for driver alertness.

Why It Matters: Rivian said that the Driver+ system will be included in every vehicle and the updates will come at “no expense.”

The driver assistance system’s capabilities suggest it is a Level 2 system, as per specifications laid out by SAE International, TechCrunch reported.

Other automakers that offer Level 2 systems include General Motors Company GM with its Super Cruise and Tesla Inc TSLA with its Autopilot. 

Last month, Tesla reported an improved miles-to-accidents ratio for its Autopilot for the third quarter, which indicated one accident for every 4.59 million miles with the system engaged.

Tesla also began rolling out a beta version of its full-self driving software last month, which is priced at $10,000. The company plans to make it available for rental on a monthly basis beginning next year.

Meanwhile, Rivan has started taking pre-orders for its electric pickup with the launch models set for deliveries in summer next year. The vehicles are priced between $67,500 and $77,500.