Rivian in-car AI outpaces Tesla's Grok

Rivian’s new in-car AI assistant reached customers this week, and early side-by-side coverage quickly turned into a direct comparison with Tesla’s Grok. Rivian said on May 12 that Rivian Assistant was rolling out to Gen 1 and Gen 2 R1 owners through an over-the-air software update. Reviews published on May 14 said the new system could carry out a wider range of vehicle-control tasks by voice than Tesla’s current Grok integration. Tesla’s own support page says Grok is in beta and does not yet handle media or climate controls. ### Which functions are putting Rivian ahead in these comparisons? Rivian said on May 12 that its assistant is built directly into the vehicle’s hardware and software, giving it access to core systems inside the car. The company said drivers can use voice commands to change drive modes, adjust ride height, modify climate settings, open the front trunk, search navigation, and ask vehicle-specific questions. (stories.rivian.com) Autoblog reported on May 13 that Rivian Assistant could handle commands including ride-height changes, climate adjustments and drive-mode changes, while Tesla’s Grok could not match those in-car control functions. Electrek described the distinction in similar terms, saying Rivian’s system could control “core functions” that Tesla’s assistant still could not. (stories.rivian.com) ### What does Tesla officially say Grok can and cannot do? Tesla’s support page says Grok is an xAI-built “AI companion” available in certain Tesla vehicles with an AMD processor, software version 2025.26 or later, and Premium Connectivity or Wi-Fi. Tesla says drivers can use Grok hands-free and can issue navigation commands on vehicles with software version 2025.44.25 or later. The same Tesla page says Grok is “currently in Beta” and “does not include voice commands for vehicle controls such as media or climate.” Tesla adds that its existing voice-command feature remains unchanged, which leaves Grok separate from some vehicle-control tasks that reviewers highlighted in the Rivian comparison. (autoblog.com) ### How is Rivian describing the software under the hood? Rivian said its assistant is part of what it calls Rivian Unified Intelligence, a broader AI stack the company has been discussing since its December 2025 AI and Autonomy Day. (tesla.com) Electrek reported that the assistant uses an orchestration layer and custom large language models designed to understand both vehicle systems and driver context. Rivian’s March 12 R2 product announcement also pointed to the assistant as a future part of its in-cabin experience. The company said R2 would include 200 sparse TOPS of edge AI compute dedicated to the cabin and to running the forthcoming Rivian Assistant locally, including when the vehicle is offline. ### Who gets these features, and what do they cost? Rivian said the rollout covers Gen 1 and Gen 2 R1 vehicles, and Electrek reported that activation works by saying “Hey Rivian” or by holding the left steering-wheel button. (electrek.co) Rivian’s support and subscription pages list Rivian Assistant as part of Connect+, priced at $14.99 a month or $149.99 a year after a 60-day trial. (rivian.com) Tesla says Grok is available on eligible Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y and Cybertruck vehicles with the required processor and software. Tesla’s connectivity page says Premium Connectivity costs $9.99 a month or $99 a year in the United States, though Grok access can also work over Wi‑Fi. ### Where does this go next? Rivian’s May 12 post said Google Calendar is the first third-party integration for the assistant, and Electrek reported the company is framing the product as an “agentic” system that can chain actions across services. (electrek.co) Rivian’s support materials show the assistant as a continuing part of its paid Connect+ software bundle. (tesla.com) Tesla’s support page says Grok availability “is subject to change” and may expand to additional vehicles through over-the-air updates. For now, the clearest next checkpoint is software: Rivian is rolling out the 2026.15 update to R1 owners, while Tesla says Grok’s capabilities depend on version thresholds including 2025.44.25 for navigation commands. (tesla.com) (electrek.co)