Rivian taps Google to bring custom maps into its EVs and app
After an intensive 18-month collaboration, Rivian and Google engineers have unveiled a significant advancement for electric vehicle owners: a unique, custom-designed version of Google Maps is now rolling out to Rivian EVs and their accompanying mobile app. This strategic integration marks the latest step in Rivian’s concerted effort to distinguish its vehicles through superior software, a philosophy that has also led to its joint venture with automotive giant Volkswagen.
This partnership transcends typical automotive technology collaborations. Unlike Google’s standard Android Auto smartphone projection or its Google built-in Android Automotive operating system used by manufacturers like Volvo, Rivian’s approach is distinct. Instead of merely adopting an off-the-shelf solution, Rivian customers will transition from their existing Mapbox-based maps to a profoundly customized Google Maps experience.
According to Rivian’s Chief of Software, Wassym Bensaid, this bespoke integration imbues Google Maps with significant Rivian DNA. This includes their proprietary trip planner, distinctive user interface and design elements, and precise EV charger locations. Bensaid acknowledged that customer feedback had highlighted navigation as an area requiring improvement. Rather than incremental enhancements to their existing system, Rivian opted for a transformative partnership with Google to deliver an entirely new product.
The core challenge for Rivian was its desire for more than just the default Google Maps application. Bensaid remarked, “Google really wanted to embrace a new model of collaboration with a more open integration down to the API levels for Google Maps, and that required working with a tech partner on that journey to integrate both solutions, and I think we’re really super happy with the result of this collaboration.”
The new mapping feature seamlessly incorporates Google Maps’ estimated time of arrival (ETA), real-time traffic updates, detailed place information, and satellite imagery directly into Rivian’s navigation system. The in-car navigation also features convenient tappable points of interest.
Crucially for EV drivers, Rivian’s robust trip planner remains central to the experience. It expertly displays EV range estimates and facilitates optimal charging stop selections, powered by the renowned A Better Routeplanner technology. Additional Rivian-specific functionalities such as “range on arrival,” personalized charging stops and preferences, and the EV maker’s unique charging score—which rates individual charging sites based on real-world plug-in data from Rivian vehicles—have been meticulously folded into the Google Maps interface.
The phased rollout of these new Google-based maps commenced today via a software update for Rivian vehicles and their mobile application. The updated Rivian mobile app further enriches the trip planning experience with place photos, comprehensive place descriptions, and satellite view (available with a Connect+ subscription). Users can also now view traffic and traffic incidents within the app and continue to effortlessly share destinations and entire trip plans from their mobile device to their vehicle, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive navigation ecosystem.
