Rivian expands Volkswagen venture to license AI assistant technology

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Published Thursday, October 29, 2026 · 5:53 PM EDT

Rivian is licensing elements of its AI voice assistant technology to Volkswagen Group, expanding the companies' $5.8 billion joint venture, according to Rivian's third-quarter investor presentation released Thursday. The venture previously focused on Rivian's electrical architecture and vehicle software. Its assistant interprets spoken requests and routes actions to the appropriate vehicle software, allowing occupants to control certain functions. Rivian rolled it out to the R1S and R1T in May 2026 and the R2 in October. Rivian did not disclose licensing fees, payment terms or which Volkswagen vehicles will receive the technology.

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