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Rivian Defends CarPlay-Free Strategy as It Pushes Native AI and Built-In Apps

Rivian Defends CarPlay-Free Strategy as It Pushes Native AI and Built-In Apps
source: gettyimages
February 1, 2026

In The Verge’s Decoder podcast, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe explained to guest host Joanna Stern why the electric-vehicle maker is not adopting Apple’s CarPlay, neither the standard version nor CarPlay Ultra. He reiterated Rivian’s goal of a seamless digital experience that doesn’t require switching between Rivian’s software and CarPlay. Instead, Rivian will offer a curated set of built-in apps, including Apple Music, Google Maps, Spotify, and YouTube, all accessible directly from the car’s system.

Scaringe said he is “very confident” in Rivian’s decision as the company plans to weave AI into its vehicles over the next 12 to 18 months. For example, Rivian is working on a native AI-powered voice-to-text feature for messaging. “We’re really convicted on this,” he added.

He also acknowledged that some customers might choose not to buy a Rivian because CarPlay isn’t available, and that risk is something the company accepts. “Some of those decisions not everyone’s going to agree with,” he noted, adding, “That’s okay.”

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