Rivian is preparing to enable access to unmapped roads for its Generation 2 vehicles.

      Rivian enthusiasts rejoice! A few weeks ago, Rivian introduced automated, hands-free driving for its second-generation R1 vehicles through a groundbreaking software update. However, this new feature, which operates only on mapped highways, has left many fans wanting more.

      Now, the company, known for its commitment to addressing customer desires, has announced that a 'map-free' upgrade is expected to be available later this year. "We've heard very clearly from customers that they appreciate [Highway Assist] but wish to use it in more areas,” said James Philbin, Rivian's VP of autonomy, during the RivianTrackr Hangouts podcast. “This is something exciting we’re working on, which we refer to internally as 'Map Free,' and we're aiming for it to be rolled out later this year.”

      The gap between the launch of Highway Assist (HWA) and the Map Free automated driving feature allows time for Rivian's fleet to collect 'unique events.' These events will be used to train Rivian's offline model in the cloud before the data is sent back to individual vehicles.

      As Rivian’s founder and CEO RJ Scaringe mentioned in early March, HWA is just the start of a growing set of automated driving features, expanding “from highways to surface roads, to turn-by-turn navigation.”

      For the time being, HWA still requires drivers to keep their attention on the road, with alerts issued if drivers become inattentive for too long. However, stay tuned—full eyes-off driving is anticipated for 2026.

      This initiative is part of Rivian's “Giving you your time back” philosophy, which is one of three core pillars of Rivian’s vision for the next three to five years. Philbin explains that this philosophy is about "meeting drivers where they are," contrasting with other automakers, like Tesla's robotaxi approach, which aims for complete automation.

      “We understand many customers choose Rivians for adventures, to enjoy incredible trips. They want to drive, and we want to facilitate that,” Philbin states. “However, a lot of driving can be tedious and monotonous, especially on highways. Thus, giving you your time back is how we can enhance the overall experience.”

      This will also ultimately contribute to Rivian's third vision pillar, which involves delivering Level 4, or highly automated vehicles. These vehicles will include features like auto parking or auto valet, allowing you to exit your Rivian at your destination, such as the office or airport, while it parks itself.

      Though not making any promises, Philbin believes the current Gen 2 hardware and platforms should be capable of supporting these forthcoming features.

      Rivian's second pillar focuses on active safety features, having completely redesigned its autonomous vehicle (AV) system for the Gen 2 models. This emphasis allowed the Rivian R1T to be recognized as the only large truck in North America to earn a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

      “I think there’s significant innovation within active safety, improving the capabilities of those features and reducing accidents,” Philbin remarks. “The ultimate goal, our guiding principle, is to make Rivian one of the safest vehicles on the road, not just for those inside the vehicle but also for other road users.”