Rivian owners will soon be able to access vehicle controls using their Apple Watch

Rivian has a new pitch for its outdoorsy, tech-loving customers: Ditch the phone and use your Apple Watch to access vehicle controls.

The company said on Thursday it plans to launch a companion app that pairs with the Apple Watch as part of a broader update to the Rivian mobile app next week. Rivian owners will be able to perform basic tasks such as locking and unlocking doors, venting windows, and triggering the vehicle alarm using their Apple Watch.

Rivian said it is adding more precise and customizable functions, too. For instance, users can adjust the digital crown on the watch to set a target state of charge or adjust the temperature inside the vehicle. The app also allows users to pick four quick controls, depending on which they use the most.

There are some limitations, however, for Rivian’s first-generation R1T trucks and R1S SUVs. Owners of these cars will only be able to lock or unlock their vehicle by opening the app and tapping the lock icon on the Watch. Second-generation R1 vehicles, meanwhile, will unlock automatically as the driver approaches the car, provided a digital key has been set up.

The Apple Watch integration follows a broader update to the vehicle software system that was rolled out on Thursday.

Most of the updates focus on improving performance and accessibility, including a “kneel mode” that lowers the vehicle another inch below its previous low setting. The update will also allow drivers to toggle between different drive modes without causing the advanced driver assistance system to disengage.

There’s also a new cold weather indicator that will add a blue tint to the battery graphic displayed on the vehicle’s digital screen so drivers can see how much energy the battery pack is used for warming.

Rivian makes and sells EVs, but software has become one of its central products, and a selling point, for consumers as well as companies like Volkswagen that have tapped the carmaker for its technology. In 2024, Rivian and VW set up a $5.8 billion technology joint venture under which Volkswagen will invest in Rivian, based on reaching certain milestones, through 2027. Software developed by the joint venture will be used in future VW Group vehicles.

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