Rivian is rolling out one of the most anticipated software updates for its vehicles. For R1S and R1T owners, the 2026.31 update will be like buying a new car, thanks to the vastly improved RivianOS 2 software. Meanwhile, all vehicles will get Google Maps and Waze user reports on police presence and speed cameras along the route.
Ever since deliveries of the R2 debuted, the Rivian software team has been busy bringing the Rivian R2 vehicles to feature parity with the veteran R1 models. Most of that job concluded last month with the 2026.24 update, when R2 crossovers were blessed with goodies such as Launch Mode, Pet Mode, Gear Guard, Garage door pairing, and Wi-Fi Hotspot.
About the same time, Rivian released the 2026.23 for the R1S and R1T, this time to improve Autonomy features. The Gen 2 R1 vehicles got Lane Change on Command on more roads, an improved Autonomy View and, most importantly, a personalized Rivian Assistant that can remember previous conversations.
As anticipated, Rivian is unifying its two software branches with the September update, which is rolling out now. The move was clear since Rivian software chief Wassym Bensaid mentioned the 2026.31 update when he talked about both R1 and R2 vehicles. The change is now official, as the carmaker is in the final testing phase with the update. A rollout to all Rivian EVs is expected in a week or two if things go smoothly.
The biggest change, unsurprisingly, will be for R1 owners, thanks to the RivianOS 2. The new infotainment software debuted on the R2 earlier this year and is now ready to make the jump to older vehicles. Rivian promised a more fluid experience, in addition to the more visually appealing interface. R1 vehicles also get new Navigation, Media, and Energy apps, as well as revamped Settings app and quick controls.
The update is equally important for the R2 vehicles, which share the new Google Maps and Waze alerts with the R1 models. The alerts are displayed within the navigation system, making Apple CarPlay and Android Auto requests less relevant. The R2 also got additional features, including an auto-tilting function for side mirrors while in reverse. The features must be enabled in settings.
With the 2026.31 update, R2 owners will also be able to lock the two glove boxes. This happens automatically when you lock the vehicle and take the keys with you. You can also manually lock and unlock one or both of the dual glove boxes using quick controls or in Settings > Access > Storage. The climate system gets a driver-focused vent control to direct front vents toward the driver.
There are also a host of improvements, with the most important being those related to vehicle access. The digital key pairing process should work more reliably with the new update. Even better, the update should fix an issue that allowed a vehicle to lock with a digital key left inside the cabin, such as during loading or unloading.
Rivian OS 2 starts rolling out on R1 today. Rebuilt from the ground up with new design language. pic.twitter.com/e8G9U6E5Rc
— Wassym Bensaid (@WassymBensaid) September 4, 2026