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Is not having Apple Car Play / Android Auto a deal breaker for you?

  • Yes

    Votes: 54 25.2%
  • No

    Votes: 160 74.8%

Poll - Is not having Apple Car Play / Android Auto a deal breaker for you?

25K views 116 replies 49 participants last post by  CommodoreAmiga 
#1 ·
There has been a lot of discussions about Rivian only offering Alexa integration rather than including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

I think the consensus is that we'd all prefer that Rivian offered it, but I want to know if this is actually a deal breaker for anyone. Vote below if the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will stop you from getting a R1S or R1T.
 
#2 ·
I don't know yet. I have to see what Rivian gives us. If it supports Apple Music and text messaging as a first-class citizen, then maybe I'll be okay.

If they try to force me into Spotify (ugh) or try to say bluetooth streaming with no first-class app then I'm not buying it.
 
#3 ·
I think the reason people are so hung up on NEEDING Apple Music or Android Auto is only because native systems from car manufacturers are historically awful, with terrible design and user experience. If Rivian develops a user experience that is well designed and works seamlessly with all of the ease that people are used to from navigating music and maps (and other apps) on their phone, there won't be an issue. It's a high bar, though.
 
#4 ·
I’ll reiterate my comments from other posts that it’s as much about content as it is the apps themselves. We all have our preferred streaming services, and many of us have made significant investments in those either setting up favorites and playlists or actually purchasing content. That’s where it really stings when you’re forced to use some other service or app.

In addition, Waze is not just another mapping app. It crowdsources content on traffic, road hazards, cops, etc. This will be hard for Rivian to replicate until they have a significant market share and hundreds of thousands of vehicles on the road, or they buy this data from some other company who is collecting it.

I’m not so tied to the apps themselves, but I do want whatever app is provided to be able to surface the content I’ve invested in. AA or CP is the easy answer to accomplishing all of this. Just seems a bit short-sighted on their part not to do it. It’s not a deal breaker for me though.
 
#19 ·
I’ll reiterate my comments from other posts that it’s as much about content as it is the apps themselves. We all have our preferred streaming services, and many of us have made significant investments in those either setting up favorites and playlists or actually purchasing content. That’s where it really stings when you’re forced to use some other service or app.

In addition, Waze is not just another mapping app. It crowdsources content on traffic, road hazards, cops, etc. This will be hard for Rivian to replicate until they have a significant market share and hundreds of thousands of vehicles on the road, or they buy this data from some other company who is collecting it.

I’m not so tied to the apps themselves, but I do want whatever app is provided to be able to surface the content I’ve invested in. AA or CP is the easy answer to accomplishing all of this. Just seems a bit short-sighted on their part not to do it. It’s not a deal breaker for me though.
 
#8 ·
Big disappointment, not a deal breaker. And I totally agree with @Wildabeest's explanation -- it's about having access to the content you've already invested in. I'm sure Rivian's system will be excellent as a standalone offering. But since my very first vehicle, I have almost exclusively listened to content from my phone's apps in my cars. First it was with a minijack cable, then bluetooth, then carplay. I don't want to switch to the services that Rivian successfully partners with. I want to listen to the content that I've chosen to invest in and carry around in my pocket 24/7.
 
#10 ·
I
I second this. It seems Rivian has put much thought into everything in their vehicles i cant imagine getting something out of a 2010ish legacy automotive company. Besodes the main thing for me is the capable truck not how i put my tunes through it. If it has spotify like ive seen then i just may get a subscription and be done with it.
 
#11 ·
Tesla doesn't support CarPlay, and it has thrived although the lack of it is a bummer there as well.

It's really not about whether Rivian can come up with a good UI, I just think it's nice to be able to have a common interface between your phone, iPad, and multiple vehicles.

I'd have pulled the trigger on a VW ID.4 if CarPlay was that important to me.
 
#28 ·
Tesla doesn't support CarPlay, and it has thrived although the lack of it is a bummer there as well.

It's really not about whether Rivian can come up with a good UI, I just think it's nice to be able to have a common interface between your phone, iPad, and multiple vehicles.

I'd have pulled the trigger on a VW IDCarPlay was that important to me.
I think
Tesla doesn't support CarPlay, and it has thrived although the lack of it is a bummer there as well.

It's really not about whether Rivian can come up with a good UI, I just think it's nice to be able to have a common interface between your phone, iPad, and multiple vehicles.

I'd have pulled the trigger on a VW ID.4 if CarPlay was that important to me.
@Chris S I think this post is very well defining the issues. Having Apple Car Play and Android Auto just makes a great extension of what you are using day to day. My car because it’s older doesn’t have either one but my wife’s does and what a difference it makes to easier functionality. I don’t understand why Rivian or Tesla care these two OS’s are what there is for now. Maybe with all canceling of apps out there another OS pops up like BB again and it would be nice to have whatever OS you use on your phone which now does everything the car via an app anyway. Text and other native stuff on that phone particular phone are linked up with the CP or AA which is nice. Order or cancel. No not having it wouldn’t stop me from ordering it or canceling. I did cancel because of not having the 400 miles. Also, read the Rivian took the EPA route for mileage which means in real life that is going to be less than expected. As mentioned once before check out Ben Sullins mileage video - definitely an eye opener.
 
#12 ·
Looks like with all the "no" votes that there is not much of a consensus about what music system is necessary. I have nothing Apple, which is all overpriced, planned obsolence, and generally not something I have ever wanted to deal with. So, if Rivian builds us a vehicle which has some of the latest electronics we will find our own way to tweak the infotainment system to satisfy our druthers. But we are a little different, we like to see what is in the world around us as we motor from place to place. And since the vehicle is suppose to very quiet, we will really not need a lot of special music to cover up the sound of the vehicle operation. And that is enough about that.
 
#13 ·
I have nothing Apple, which is all overpriced, planned obsolence, and generally not something I have ever wanted to deal with.
It always amuses me to see people hate on apple. Planned obsolescence? Really? Apple is still providing OS updates for iPhone models SIX generations old. Someone (like my mother) who is still rocking an iPhone 6s Plus from 2015 still gets updates to the latest and greatest iOS version. And updates are released at the same time for old devices as they are for the newest device. Oh, and iPhones hold the highest resale value of any smartphone brand... But, sure, tell yourself that it's all planned obsolescence.

Compare that to an Android phone where you're LUCKY to get 3 years of updates -- and often don't even get that much.
 
#16 ·
Folks this isn't a debate about Apple vs Android vs Flip phones but is a feature that is in a 20k civic, Hyundais, Kias, Audis, Porsches, hell even a Jaguar. Will it stop me from buying a Rivian not sure right now, but it is strange that an 80k brand new to the market, hi-tech vehicle doesn't have these functions, yes it is. The screen can do it, there is little to no licensing costs. It is a software issue that is all.
 
#17 ·
Here is another way to think about it. If you have a family with multiple vehicles, do you really want to fumble around an unfamiliar U/I, or just plug in your device and use your favorite features and apps instantly via Car Play or Android Auto? I rented a car yesterday on a business trip (new model 4 door Toyota thing, which had horrible driver visibility BTW, but I digress). I looked at the buttons and screens and all the possible options with horror, plugged in my phone, found CarPlay & was done... The only thing I used the Toyota U/I for was to CHOOSE MY SOURCE. The point was made earlier that car companies are not great at the things that Apple and Android do for a full-time living, day in and day out with Smartphone consumers. Just think of the U/I and OS battles between those two companies alone, and how many billions have already been spent creating the most intuitive and seamless ways for us to interact with digital content.

Rivian should focus on the best possible electric vehicles, AND allow customers to extend the use of their media, apps, and phones in the most elegant and powerful ways possible. Sure! They can have their own beautiful tiles & widgets on their wide screen display with great features, but give us CHOICE. I will reserve my comment, its likely not a true deal-breaker, but show me what is included in this native Rivian App. Maybe they will surprise and delight us with interesting partnerships w/companies like Waze that will operate inside the Rivian app tile or head-unit flawlessly, who knows. It would be nice to know the actual plan at this point. If you haven't experience how Apple Car Play and Android Auto actually work, its probably hard to understand why this stuff is so important to existing users who take their phone IN and OUT of their cars, and use their phones for business and pleasure. Like I said on another post, we aren't taking the Rivian screen out of the car to make calls, play music, or track our MTB rides... That is a big difference between having a smartphone interface in a car, and relying solely on a Rivian experience. Lets see what we get....
 
#20 ·
In addition to an adventure vehicle, my Rivian will be a commuter car for me as well (around 60 miles a day). I do consume a lot of media (music/audiobooks), but this is all simply streamed through a Bluetooth connection. Would not having Apple Play or Android Auto keep me from using a Bluetooth connection and simply using my phone's interface to listen to whatever I want to listen to? Discloser: I've never used Apple Play or Android Auto, so I don't even know the UX advantages of these interfaces.
 
#21 ·
Nope, if that is all you are doing for audio, that is fine.

With ACP and AA, we are talking about serving up specific apps for drivers that are essentially mirrored or rendered on the infotainment System screen instantly - much more than bluetooth audio listening.
 
#23 ·
Couple of thoughts here:
  • I bought a Tesla Y to begin experiencing an EV and to enable me to wait until I can get the R1S that I really want. When asked what I think about the Y, my answer is "it's the best car I've ever driven but the electronics/head end are very sub par." There are lots of reasons (I've written a couple of pages to Tesla) but the lesson IMO for Rivian is that while Tesla is thriving now and they've chosen a walled garden approach, that will only last as long as there is no serious competition in the high end EV market. The experience I have right now (don't get me started... the driving part of the screen isn't helpful, the music app doesn't work correctly, the Spotify app is half baked, there's no XM... can you tell I'm not a Tesla zealot??) is so sub par, it will become a competitive disadvantage as soon as drivers have real choice.
  • What appears to be the reality is that part of Amazon's investment was an agreement that the Rivian head end would be based on Alexa. The notion of "let's wait and see" seems appropriate. The good news for Rivian owners is that there is a huge amount of on-going investment in Alexa including the auto space so (at least relative to Tesla) we're in a much better space.
  • If I were running an auto company (and I will own Rivian stock), there's no way I'd just give up the screen to Apple and Google. Rivian owns the channel and as long as the experience is fantastic, they should use it as a competitive advantage - key caveat being as long as the experience is fantastic.

I like the two screen look relative to my one screen Model Y and am really looking forward to seeing what the experience is like. I also noticed an XM antennae on the vehicles in promo pictures so that box is checked off as well.

Can't wait to see it for myself.
 
#25 ·
One last thing... I'm a Google guy and had been using AA in my cars for several years. The thing that sets it apart for me is the amount of voice control I have... almost anything I can do on my Android (e.g., not just phone functions like call and text and calendar, but music, podcasts and nav) I can manage with my voice. That's the experience I'm looking for in my car and the yardstick that I'll measure Rivian's head end by.
 
#30 ·
I can't believe people are arguing AGAINST CP/AA.

There is ZERO downside to including CP/AA. It's a major benefit for people who want it, and there is zero cost for those who don't.

So I am flabbergasted that people are so actively opposed or defend decisions that hurt others and aren't even in their own self-interest.
 
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#36 ·
On the OTA updates side of things, in a recent job posting Rivian said "The over-the-air update team mission is to continuously deploy the software updates not only to reduce recalls but make our products better every day. Our solution is built from the ground up to provide an end-to-end solution for updating a full vehicle software that includes more than 50+ ECUs firmware and applications."

Although that's obvious for anyone familiar with what OTA updates typically involve, its still great to see a mission statement like that.

 
#42 ·
I think the poll is poorly designed and that conclusion cannot be drawn.

There should be a third option that says "I wanted CarPlay, but I'm reserving final judgement until I can see the Rivian infotainment system".

If Rivian implements all the features people want (for example, I want Apple Music) then it's not a dealbreaker... But we are far away from any assurance that Rivian has actually done what no other manufacturer has ever managed to do.
 
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#51 ·
Not to mention those that just don't answer the survey like me (AKA in survey methodology, "Prefer not to answer"). Not that any of this really matters. My biggest take-away is the majority of those that use AA/CP regularly in their current vehicles want it, and those that don't use it and/or have access to it and don't use it, are happy just using audio via BT, which isn't AA/CP, so doesn't really matter either.

I wonder how many preorder customers use AA/CP today?

I also wonder how many of those preorder customers that currently use AA/CP would want head-unit support for AA/CP in their new Rivian?

Wild guess... 99%
 
#52 · (Edited)
If I can run Waze within Rivian's system, I'm fine with that. If I can't, I'm not going to be a guinea pig for some 'Alexa Maps' experiment.

I'm dead at 50/50 between a Rivian and the new Bronco (not sure I can give up my manual transmission yet). I have reservations for both, and I was hoping to drive each before making a decision. But no AA/Waze would be the straw that broke the Rivian's back for me, and I'd be content knowing I'm driving the last mass-produced manual transmission 4x4 ever made, rather than the first electric truck.
 
#53 ·
I'm dead at 50/50 between a Rivian and the new Bronco (not sure I can give up my manual transmission yet). I have reservations for both, and I was hoping to drive each before making a decision. But no AA/Waze would be the straw that broke the Rivian's back for me, and I'd be content knowing I'm driving the last mass-produced manual transmission 4x4 ever made, rather than the first electric truck.
I was in love with the Broncho unveiling... I just wish they had a legit PHEV option.
 
#56 ·
I voted no, but have to say not having music streaming directly through the infotainment is a killer. I want a car that streams audio from the services (YouTube music) that I already pay for. My Tesla wasn’t flawless, but the connectivity was great. It was a pain having to pickup my phone to play my music and where I live tickets are handed out to those touching their phones, so not a deal killer, but hands free and seamless integration is a must.
 
#58 ·
I've never gotten around to android auto or carplay in my Kia Niro EV (it supports both)...navigation via voice command works well as does media and xm radio. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't miss it. Sure, the more choices, the better. One positive about the Amazon connection is that Amazon has a true HD streaming service with better than CD audio. Hopefully, there will be an option to tap into that. The sound system seems great, but can only be really great is the source material matches its potential.

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#59 ·
I am heavily into Google, so if AA is not a choice, then yes, I will wait for the Ford F150 EV. I have ZERO interest in trying to replicate my functionality/account services on another platform. This includes Google Maps, YouTube for music, etc... We (wife) just picked up our MachE last month, and the integration is seamless with AA.
 
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