Rivian is giving its electric vehicles a major software overhaul, bringing RivianOS 2 to the entire R1 lineup and unifying the software experience across its current vehicle portfolio.

The company says its 2026.31 over-the-air update represents the biggest software transformation in the history of the R1, rebuilding the in-car experience around RivianOS 2, an AI-defined platform designed to integrate software, graphics and vehicle computing more deeply. The update is rolling out to eligible R1 and R2 vehicles, with the R1 rollout covering both Gen 1 and Gen 2 architectures.

The bigger story is that RivianOS 2 is no longer limited to newer vehicles. Rivian says R1 and R2 now run on a unified software stack, giving the company a common foundation for future feature updates while still allowing capabilities to be tailored to each vehicle’s hardware.

For R1 owners, RivianOS 2 brings a redesigned interface intended to make frequently used controls easier to access while giving the cabin a more modern visual experience.

Quick controls and the media player can now be positioned on either side of the center display, while a new vertical status bar keeps important vehicle functions within reach. Rivian has also rebuilt its Settings experience, adding context-aware controls and universal search so drivers can find settings without digging through multiple menus.

The graphics system is getting a significant upgrade, too. R1 and R2 vehicles use Unreal Engine to generate real-time 3D visualizations of the vehicle and its surroundings on the central infotainment display. Newer hardware can take advantage of Unreal Engine 5, while Gen 1 R1 vehicles retain Unreal Engine 4 to maintain responsiveness on their existing display hardware.

That distinction is important because Rivian isn’t simply giving older vehicles a new visual skin. The company is adapting the software experience to the computing and display hardware available in different generations.

RivianOS 2 also adds several features aimed at making navigation and everyday driving more informative.

Rivian is integrating Google Maps information about police presence and speed cameras directly into its in-vehicle navigation. The alerts draw from local authorities, trusted third-party sources and real-time contributions from Google Maps and Waze communities.

Connect+ subscribers get additional functionality, including a dedicated Weather app showing current conditions, air quality information and a 10-day forecast. The service also adds Mobile Live Trips, allowing drivers to start, view and update active trips through the Rivian mobile app.

These additions might seem relatively small compared with the operating-system overhaul itself, but they illustrate Rivian’s broader approach: treating the vehicle as a continuously updated software platform rather than something whose features are largely fixed when it leaves the factory.

The more significant change sits underneath the redesigned interface.

RivianOS 2 allows R1 vehicles to tap into Rivian Unified Intelligence, the company’s shared AI foundation connecting selected vehicle, mobile and service experiences. R2 and Gen 2 R1 models have additional computing resources that allow more advanced processing to happen locally, reducing latency for certain AI-powered functions.

Gen 1 and Gen 2 R1 vehicles also receive expanded cloud-assisted voice capabilities and refreshed driver-display hierarchies.

This fits into Rivian’s broader shift from describing its vehicles as software-defined to calling them “AI-defined.” The company has previously outlined Rivian Unified Intelligence as a foundation for AI-powered vehicle experiences, while its autonomy work uses a Large Driving Model and an increasingly integrated software and hardware stack.

Rivian’s approach is therefore less about adding one isolated AI feature and more about making AI part of the underlying architecture used across the vehicle ecosystem.

Perhaps the most notable part of the announcement is the breadth of the rollout.

Rivian says RivianOS 2 reaches every R1 on the road, including both Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles. That gives owners of earlier R1 models access to the same broader software platform used across Rivian’s newer lineup, although individual features can still depend on the vehicle’s hardware.

That hardware dependency will become increasingly important as Rivian adds more sophisticated AI capabilities. The company has already emphasized the additional compute available in newer vehicles, meaning a common operating system doesn’t necessarily mean every Rivian will receive every future feature.

Instead, the unified software stack gives Rivian a common foundation while leaving room for hardware-specific capabilities.

As the company adds more AI and cloud-connected functionality, it is also giving drivers controls over how some of that technology operates.

RivianOS 2 lets users toggle hotword wake words, limit location sharing and adjust driver-profile data settings across vehicle generations.

That’s increasingly relevant as automakers move toward AI assistants and connected services that rely on more vehicle, driver and location data. Rivian is positioning these controls as part of the broader software experience rather than treating privacy as an afterthought.

The 2026.31 update marks a significant change in how Rivian’s vehicles are connected from a software perspective. Rather than maintaining separate experiences for different generations, Rivian now has a shared operating foundation spanning R1 and R2.

That should make it easier for the company to develop features once and deploy them across multiple vehicles, while still adapting them to the hardware available in each model.

For owners, the immediate payoff is a redesigned interface, updated graphics, improved navigation information, expanded voice capabilities and new connected features. But the more important change could be what comes next: Rivian now has a common software and AI foundation on which to build future vehicle experiences.

The 2026.31 OTA update is beginning its rollout to eligible R1 and R2 vehicles. Rivian says owners can check the Rivian app or their vehicle’s center display for release notes and availability.