Rivian Assistant is now rolling out to the R2. Rivian said on October 7 that its AI voice assistant is debuting on the R2 with software update 2026.36, about four months after the first R2 deliveries. The same update brings Pet Cam, a live color view of the cabin you can open from your phone, to the R2, and gives every Rivian owner remote Pet Mode controls in the app.
Rivian Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid first said on X on October 2 that it would arrive in the next over-the-air update, listing full vehicle controls, personalized memory, and native integration with Google Calendar and Gmail. On the R2 you start it by pressing the right Haptic Halo Wheel on the steering wheel, tapping the icon on the display, or saying “Hey, Rivian” or “Okay, Rivian.”
Why R2 owners have been waiting
The Assistant was supposed to be part of the R2 story from the start. When Rivian detailed the R2’s in-cabin tech in June, it said the Assistant was “launching on R2 later this summer.” R2 deliveries began on June 9, so the earliest owners have now had their SUVs for about four months without it.
If you are still waiting on your own R2, our R2 delivery wait times by color roundup covers where the queue stands, and the R2 trim cheat sheet lays out Standard, Premium, and Performance side by side.
What Rivian Assistant does
Rivian describes the Assistant as an AI voice assistant built into the vehicle’s own hardware and software, not a phone-mirroring add-on. On the R1 you call it up by saying “Hey Rivian” or holding the left steering wheel button.
Because it talks directly to vehicle systems, it can handle jobs a phone assistant cannot reach, such as changing drive modes, adjusting ride height, opening the front trunk, setting the climate, or giving a range-on-arrival estimate. Rivian’s own example of a context-aware request is “Make everyone’s seat toasty except mine.” It can also read and help draft text messages, search the map for stops along a route, and answer questions from the owner’s guide, like how to change a tire.
Bensaid’s post adds Gmail to the Google Calendar support the Assistant already had, so on the R2 it should be able to work with both your schedule and your inbox. Rivian’s October 7 note adds a few everyday jobs to the list: it can pull up the weather at your destination, answer general questions, and name the song that is playing.
Pet Cam comes to the R2
Rivian says more than 60 percent of its owners travel with a dog, which explains why pets got top billing in this update over the voice assistant. Pet Cam uses the R2’s high-definition color cabin camera, so it is an R2-only feature. When Pet Mode is on, you can open a live feed from the Gear Guard section of the Rivian app and see your pet along with a live cabin temperature reading.
If you just want a quick look, the app dashboard and your phone’s lock screen refresh with snapshot images of the cabin, so you do not have to start a full video stream. Anyone sitting in the car can stop the stream with one tap on the center display, which keeps the camera from turning into a surprise for a passenger who stayed behind.
Remote Pet Mode for the R1
R1T and R1S owners do not get Pet Cam, but they do get the new app controls, on both Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles. You can now switch Pet Mode on from the Rivian app after you have already walked away, and switch it off with the paw icon in the app’s climate controls. The app asks for a quick confirming tap either way, so a stray thumb does not shut off the air conditioning with a dog inside.
The R2 hardware angle
Rivian has said the R2 carries 200 sparse TOPS of edge AI compute dedicated to the cabin, and that this lets the Assistant run complex tasks locally, even when the vehicle is offline. Whether offline use is part of this first R2 release is not something Rivian has confirmed yet.
Do you need Connect+?
Yes, for both features. On the R1, Rivian rolled the Assistant out in May to Gen 1 and Gen 2 owners who subscribe to Connect+ or are in an active trial, and the R2 follows the same rule. Rivian’s 2026.36 release notes for the R2 say the Assistant is available on vehicles with an active Connect+ subscription or in a trial period, and that Pet Cam requires an active Connect+ subscription. The Assistant is English-only for now.
What comes next
Rivian says 2026.36 is beginning its rollout to eligible vehicles, so it may take a few days to reach every R2. The R2 is also still working through its early-production fixes, including the small high-voltage battery fastener recall, while Rivian ramps volume after a record third quarter.
FAQ
When does Rivian Assistant come to the R2?
It is rolling out now. Rivian says the Assistant debuts on the R2 with software update 2026.36, which began reaching eligible vehicles on October 7.
What will Rivian Assistant do on the R2?
Rivian says it brings full vehicle controls, personalized memory, and native integration with Google Calendar and Gmail.
Do you need Connect+ for Rivian Assistant?
On the R1, the Assistant went to owners who subscribe to Connect+ or are in an active trial. The R2 works the same way: Rivian’s 2026.36 release notes say the Assistant needs an active Connect+ subscription or a trial.
Which Rivian vehicles get Pet Cam?
Only the R2. Rivian says Pet Cam relies on the R2’s high-definition color cabin camera, and it needs an active Connect+ subscription.
What do R1 owners get in update 2026.36?
R1T and R1S owners, Gen 1 and Gen 2, can now turn Pet Mode on and off from the Rivian app after leaving the vehicle.