For years, Rivian owners have tolerated infotainment systems that looked slick but responded with the urgency of a hungover teenager. That’s changed with software build 2025.26, which is rolling out now. Owners report that every swipe, tap, and pinch is “buttery-smooth,” eliminating the lag that has long been a sore spot in an otherwise futuristic cabin.
Rivian
A Touchscreen That Finally Keeps Up
Videos from early adopters show what Rivian calls “performance optimizations,” but to drivers it just means the screen finally behaves like a high-end tablet. Menus load instantly, maps pan without stutter, and pinch-to-zoom doesn’t freeze halfway through. For a brand that prides itself on forward-thinking design, this is the kind of invisible upgrade that matters more than flashy new features.
It’s also a clever way to reassure customers that Rivian is still capable of delivering polish. After all, the company just posted a $1.1 billion quarterly loss while still betting big on volume growth. Fixing day-to-day frustrations is the sort of move that keeps existing owners happy while Rivian fights for profitability.
Rivian
More Than Just Pretty Animations
The update isn’t only about UI speed. Driver-assist perception has been sharpened for better visibility in poor weather, while Sport and Off-Road drive modes have been recalibrated for more consistent steering feel. Owners also spotted a hidden reboot option in the settings, meaning you can now restart the system without power-cycling the whole car.
Still, the headline is the touchscreen. Rivian knows its refusal to add Apple CarPlay or Android Auto continues to irritate some buyers, with aftermarket workarounds springing up to fill the void. If Rivian insists on going its own way with native software, it has to make sure that experience is as fluid as the tech it’s trying to replace.
Now this is more like it Rivian! Look how snappy 2025.26 is. pic.twitter.com/I3OSZoC65W
— Chad Moran (@ChadMoran) August 19, 2025
Why This Update Matters For Rivian’s Future
Software defines the EV experience more than horsepower or charging times, and Rivian knows it. The brand is already hinting at more affordable EVs in the pipeline, with CEO RJ Scaringe even joking about it on comedian Daniel Tosh’s podcast. But Rivian won’t win over mainstream buyers if its core software feels half-baked.
With this update, the brand has shown it can nail the basics — and that’s essential if it wants to move beyond early adopters and into garages where CarPlay is seen as non-negotiable.
The Takeaway
Rivian’s latest software patch may not look like a big deal on paper, but in practice it’s a turning point. For the first time, the infotainment system feels as good as the glossy press shots suggested back in 2021. In a market where perception and usability carry as much weight as raw specs, that smoothness might be worth more than any new feature Rivian could have added.
