Autonomous vehicle technology has moved past human-coded rules and into an era of neural networks and custom computer chips. And to solve the most difficult driving scenarios, electric vehicle company Rivian abandoned its original technology platform to build a vertically integrated data stack. Sarah Guo sits down with Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe to explore the seismic shift in the automotive industry toward AI-driven, software-defined vehicles . RJ discusses the move away from function or domain-based architecture for vehicle electronic systems to software-defined architecture, which allows for dynamic, monthly updates to features in Rivian’s vehicles. RJ also talks about the upcoming launch of Rivian’s R2 model, which aims to be a distinct, affordable, mass-market alternative to the Tesla Model Y. Plus, RJ shares his vision for a future where vehicles don’t just drive us, but inspire personal freedom and exploration.

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Chapters:

00:00 – Cold Open
00:35 – RJ Scaringe Introduction
0:58 – Rivian’s Autonomy Evolution
05:19 – Why Rivian’s Tech is Vertically Integrated
10:06 – Levels of Autonomous Driving Technologies
14:00 – Importance of a Software-Defined Architecture
19:28 – Differentiating Autonomous Vehicle Models
23:20 – R2: The First Mass Market Autonomous Vehicle
25:02 – Do Americans Want EVs?
29:05 – How Our Relationship to Vehicles is Evolving
30:45 – Conclusion