Rivian's next act: CEO RJ Scaringe lays out a future as a technology supplier, not just an EV maker

Rivian CEO and founder RJ Scaringe used a TechCrunch Disrupt interview to describe a company that is becoming much more than a maker of electric trucks and SUVs. Rivian has developed its own AI models for its in-vehicle assistant, is building an automated driving stack for its passenger vehicles and future robotaxis through a partnership with Uber, and is developing a 5-nanometre processor with Arm and TSMC.

Scaringe talked about extending Rivian’s US$5.8 billion technology joint venture with Volkswagen Group to cover AI and autonomy, and about licensing Rivian technology to “many different brands.” He also announced that former Ford, Apple and Tesla executive Doug Field has been hired as president of Mind Robotics, the industrial robotics startup Scaringe founded, which Rivian owns 31% of.

“Where it gets really interesting is then you think beyond R2 and R3 and start to imagine the form factors that you want to build for a personally owned autonomous vehicle,” Scaringe said. “I’m wildly excited about what the next 10 years look like in transportation.”