Rivian has opened an Autonomy Early Access Program to let selected electric vehicle owners test its Point-to-Point driving feature, which enables vehicles to follow a planned route while handling turns, highway merges and surface streets under driver supervision.
The program launched in October and is limited to eligible owners of second-generation R1 vehicles and the R2 who have an active paid Autonomy+ subscription. Participation is free, and Rivian is targeting a year-end public preview before expanding access more broadly in 2027.
James Philbin, Rivian’s senior vice president of Autonomy and AI, said the company was on track to launch the initial public preview by the end of the year.
Navigation-Linked Driving Assistance
Point-to-Point builds on Rivian’s existing Universal Hands-Free system by integrating it with turn-by-turn navigation. While the existing system enables hands-free driving in supported conditions, the new feature is designed to manage a wider range of driving tasks along an entire planned route.
The system combines a 360-degree sensor suite with Rivian’s proprietary Large Driving Model, which interprets data from the vehicle’s cameras and sensors to determine how it should respond to its surroundings.
Despite the expanded functionality, Point-to-Point remains a Level 2 driver-assistance system. Drivers must remain attentive, monitor the vehicle’s behaviour and be ready to take control whenever necessary. The feature does not make the vehicle fully autonomous.
Rivian plans to make Point-to-Point available to all Autonomy+ subscribers in 2027, following testing by the initial group of participants. First-generation R1 vehicles and owners in Canada are excluded from the initial program.
How Owners Can Apply
Eligible owners can register their interest through the Autonomy Early Access tile in their account on Rivian.com. The company notes that the tile is visible only to the primary account holder, which may affect households where another person is the vehicle’s main driver.
Selection will depend on several factors, including how frequently an owner already uses Rivian’s autonomy features, recent driving-safety indicators such as forward-collision warnings, and the need to maintain a geographically diverse group of participants across different vehicle models.
Applying does not guarantee an invitation to participate.
Testing Requirements and Data Sharing
Participants must commit to using the preview features weekly, submitting issue reports through the vehicle’s interface and completing a monthly survey about their experience.
The program also requires participants to share location and camera data under a non-disclosure agreement. Rivian can review participation every 30 days and remove testers from the program without advance notice. Participants receive no compensation for their involvement.
These requirements allow Rivian to gather real-world feedback and identify issues before expanding availability, while placing additional responsibilities on owners who join the testing group.
Future Availability Beyond the Initial Group
Owners who are not selected for the first phase can leave their interest on file. Rivian says expressions of interest from outside California and Florida will help inform decisions about which states receive subsequent rollout information.
The early access program represents a staged approach to expanding Rivian’s driver-assistance capabilities. Its eventual wider release will depend on testing and refinement, with drivers continuing to bear responsibility for supervising the system.
