Rivian has quietly removed the under-seat storage compartment from all second-generation R1T and R1S models, a move that’s sure to leave some owners scratching their heads. Oddly, this comes several months after the Gen 2 R1 series launched with a slew of updates, making the disappearance of this small, yet surprisingly handy feature all the more baffling.

Read: 2025 Rivian R1S And R1T Combine Tired Looks With New Tech And More Power

News of the storage bin’s removal began circulating on Twitter, Reddit, and various forums earlier this week, catching new owners off guard. Some were surprised to find the compartment entirely missing, while others received their vehicles with the drawer still in place, sparking confusion and frustration. Carscoops reached out to Rivian for clarification and was informed that the storage bin has been removed from all R1 variants as of “late 2024,” though no specific timeline was provided.

Rivian’s Response

“Yes, we removed the passenger seat storage bin from production on all R1 variants in late 2024,” a Rivian representative told us.

“We are constantly evaluating our design and production strategy and the passenger seat storage bin has a low utilization rate,” the spokesperson explained. “We’ve found that personal items that might be stored in this space (ex: smart phone) won’t fit easily, so passengers would use another storage place instead. There has been no change to the storage bin under the driver’s seat, which remains available for small items like sunglasses and keys.”

Some owners seem disappointed by the removal of this storage area, especially since neither the R1T nor the R1S features a traditional glovebox. There’s also speculation that the under-seat cubby’s removal is part of a cost-cutting effort, though Rivian did not mention this in its response to us. That said, there are other storage areas in both the electric pickup and SUV, including in the door panels and large bins under the rear seats.

Still, it’s hard not to notice that certain small changes, like this one, seem to line up with a broader trend in automakers trimming the fat from vehicles. Rivian isn’t exactly struggling with its pricing strategy, but a few cuts here and there could certainly help the company with future cost efficiency.

What Else Is New With The Gen 2 R1?

Several other significant changes have been made to the second-generation R1 series. For example, the available Large and Max battery packs now feature redesigned modules that are more efficiently packaged, which should make them easier to manufacture and service. Rivian has also installed a new heat pump and a revised electrical architecture, which eliminates 10 ECUs and about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) of wiring. On the performance front, the dual-motor variants now deliver 665 hp, the tri-motor version is good for 850 hp, and the quad-motor models pump out a staggering 1,025 hp.

Rivian hasn’t forgotten about its semi-autonomous driving system either. The company has introduced a suite of new updates, including higher-definition cameras and improved AI prediction technology. The revised system now boasts 11 cameras and five radars, further improving its capabilities.

Lead photos Reddit@mhespenh & Reddit@Kryptonlogic

Ten years ago, the idea that two startups would be producing the two most compelling electric pickup trucks on the market would have been inconceivable. However, here we are in 2024 with the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T leading the charge in the electrification of one of America’s most iconic and popular vehicle segments. But, which of the two is best?

Both the Cybertruck and R1T have their own unique pros and cons so when Motor Trend recently got its hands on the duo, it decided to focus purely on pulling power, arranging the trucks together for a tug of war. However, this tug of war was not performed on the pavement where the Tesla and Rivian would have the best opportunity to put their power to the ground. Instead, it was done on dirt.

Read: Rivian Wants To Give You 3,000 Reasons To Move On From Gasoline

On paper, the flagship Cyberbeast and Rivian R1T Tri-Motor are very evenly matched. A pair of powerful electric motors give the Tesla 845 hp and 864 lb-ft (1,171 Nm) of torque, whereas the trio of motors in the R1T combine to churn out 850 hp and 1,103 lb-ft (1,495 Nm). Both also have max claimed towing capacities of 11,000 lbs (4,989 kg).

As the drivers of the two trucks plant down on the throttles, the two cars start to dig holes in the dirt and pull each other slightly back and forth. The Rivian ultimately does a little better and pulls the Cybertruck a little closer to the line.

A second tug-of-war was also performed. Once again, the Tesla and Rivian performed just as well as each other. Both were ferociously spinning up their wheels as the drivers attempted to gain an advantage. Ultimately, the R1T was awarded the victory, although it only had the slightest of advantages over the Cyberbeast.

Google Cast is set to arrive in Rivian vehicles very soon. This was one of the standout announcements from a recent ‘fireside chat’ with Rivian’s chief software officer, Wassym Bensaid, attended by Carscoops. During the discussion, Bensaid offered a glimpse into the brand’s ongoing software development, teasing features to watch out for and a few that might raise eyebrows.

For a company that has deliberately eschewed Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the addition of Google Cast marks an interesting, if somewhat lateral, step forward. Google Cast isn’t a perfect solution for that, but it will enhance the overall experience for Rivian customers. Now, the company is about to launch it with software update .47 coming before the end of 2024. Not stopping there, Rivian’s engineers are also working on enabling rear-seat passengers to cast content directly to the back screens.

Voice Controls To Rival Physical Interfaces

In addition to Google Cast, Rivian is honing its speech-to-text functionality, with artificial intelligence playing a pivotal role. Bensaid confirmed that it’ll co-exist with Alexa that’s already integrated into its vehicles. He also says that everything that you can access in the infotainment system should be accessible via speech-to-text.

More: Physical Controls Are Back Because Drivers Are Sick Of Endless Touchscreen Menus

That’s right, he’s hoping to make it so that your voice can do anything in the system that your hand could do. He also believes owners will have the ability to access the same features via their mobile device. On top of that, he says it’s coming in 2025.

Physical Buttons? Not Likely

To be fair, the brand never really had many physical buttons in its cars to begin with. Still, the market appears to be trending back toward physical buttons after a couple of decades of moving away from them in favor of touchscreens. When pressed on whether or not Rivian would also begin to include physical buttons, Bensaid made his position clear.

While the company is adding haptic buttons to the steering wheels of its cars, the main interface isn’t going to change much. “We believe that if we have a cluttered interface with lots of physical buttons that the challenge with physical buttons is that they’re there forever,” Bensaid said.

“You can never change them, you have assigned functionalities. Whereas if you make it software, you have the ability to improve it over time based on customer feedback. That’s the guiding principle of why we don’t want to constrain ourselves to physical buttons,” he added.

Carscoops pushed a little harder concerning things like climate control buttons. Here’s what Rivian’s Vivek Surya told us.

“In Rivian vehicles, climate controls are integrated into the overall software stack, which means they interact with different systems in the car,” said Surya. “We want as many features as possible to be scalable and modular so we can quickly evolve in-vehicle experiences – and reduce mental load on the customer as complex hardware and software work in concert behind the scenes for features like automation.”

For example, here are some recent features that demonstrate the flexibility “untethering” from physical buttons gives us:

• Driver profile specific customizable vent positions that can set multiple vents at the same time with a single touch
• Tri-zone climate control, which expands the customization and adds more access to fine tune controls.

Unlockable Power And Range May Be On The Table

Rivian’s Connect+ software also led to a question about range and power. As of this writing, Connect+ simply includes a list of additional features for $14.99 per month ($19.99 CAD) or $149.99 per year ($199.99 CAD). Owners can sign up in the vehicle, on their phone, or online. That said, the host asked Bensaid if that architecture would end up having other unlockables for sale.

“Do you think customers would want to have a performance or range upgrade?” he responded. When the host affirmed, Bensaid simply said, “Okay, if you think so then I think we should do it.” That could mean that we may see Rivians ship to customers with some of their full power or range, or both, locked behind a paywall. For now, there is no telling (or even if) when this might actually happen, but it seems to be under consideration.

Photos Stephen Rivers / Carscoops

As the year winds to a close, Rivian is clearly feeling the pressure to move more units off the lot. One way it’s doing that is by offering buyers cold hard cash in the form of discounts. To qualify, buyers need to do a few things including own a gas-burning car. Here are all the details on what it’ll take to get $3,000 off a new Rivian R1S or R1T right now.

The most important requirement of this deal, something that Rivian is calling the “All-Electric Upgrade Off”, is that the buyer must have a gas-powered vehicle, though there’s no need to trade it in. Without the ability to show proof of ownership or lease of such a vehicle, the deal is off. Of course, it applies to all gas-powered vehicles including hybrids. Check that box, and you’re already halfway there. But Rivian has a few more stipulations in store.

More: Rivian’s Software Boss Says Dash Buttons Are A Bug, Not A Feature – Is He Right?

Next, the buyer has to select a new Rivian. It can’t be a pre-owned unit, a custom build, or a demo unit either. On top of that, the R1S or R1T in question can’t be a Dual Standard trim level. Sure, that diminishes the discount since the next level up costs substantially more, but a price break is still a price break. Buyers must put in their order between now and November 30 and they must agree to take delivery before December 31.

Notably, this isn’t a sliding scale discount or anything of that sort, so everyone who checks the above boxes gets the same $3,000 off. Canadian buyers get $4,100 CAD discount as long as they abide by those same rules. Basically, those who have been eyeing a new Rivian now have another reason to consider it.

That’s good news for fans since Rivian just updated both the R1S and R1T this year with some thoughtful touches. It’s also nice that Rivian doesn’t require buyers to trade in their old car. As we come to the close of the year, other automakers are likely to offer discounts to move products too, so if Rivian isn’t really your bag keep checking here.

We’ll keep you posted on the latest deals and incentives hitting the market.

Rivian’s electric vehicles are some of the most advanced on the road, but the automaker lags behind other brands when it comes to protecting the workers who build those EVs, a new report claims.

Some of Rivian’s employees have suffered a cracked skull, had a finger amputated, or required surgery due to incidents at work. Others say they feel pressured to keep the production line moving at all costs.

Related: This Is The 2025 Rivian R1S, Now With New Photos

The report comes from Bloomberg, whose investigation led it to speak to multiple current and former employees about life at Rivian’s Normal plant and to analyze data from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) comparing Rivian with other brands.

Despite only having a single plant, the company behind the critically acclaimed R1S, R1T, and Amazon’s delivery van has more black marks on its safety record than other brands with multiple sites. OSHA has handed Rivian 16 initial serious violations in the past 21 months, which sounds a lot, but of course means nothing without some context, so here it is: neither Toyota, GM, Honda, Nissan, or Ford earned more than 10 slaps on the wrist in that time and VW, BMW, and Subaru received none at all.

Rivian responded to Bloomberg’s bringing up OSHA’s findings by claiming that most of the “serious” citations were subsequently downgraded or dismissed altogether. But former OSHA employees told the reporters that the organization often only downgraded citations to encourage automakers to make safety improvements and to avoid litigation. In short, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Dangers highlighted by workers included forklifts being used to push carts around the plant and a leaky roof over the part of the facility where batteries are stored. One former employee even claimed she vomited Rivian blue liquid after being forced to work in the paint shop without adequate breathing gear. But a spokesperson told Bloomberg that it always provided all necessary safety equipment and said in a statement that it was “proud of our strong safety record – which continues to improve year over year.”

Rivian came up with more creative ways to turn “spooky” this Halloween season. The automaker announced a new software update for 2024, adding “Car Costumes” inspired by the Knight Rider TV series and the Back To The Future films, alongside several Halloween-themed features.

The update is available for both the R1T and the R1S for a limited time, between October 18 and November 4. The highlight is that the Rivian EVs can replicate features of the K.I.T.T. and DeLorean Time Machine movie cars, using custom infotainment graphics, together with lightning and sound effects,

More: This Rivian R1T Floated 150 Feet During Hurricane Helene And Still Runs Fine

The Knight Rider costume will turn your Rivian’s light bar into the iconic red scanner of the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, originally driven by David Hasselhoff. The actor even revisited his famous role for a cameo appearance behind the wheel of the Rivian R1T.

The Knight Rider treatment is more extensive inside the cabin. Rivian’s 15-inch infotainment display transforms into a replica of K.I.T.T.’s diagnostic panel with many colorful buttons, while the audio system plays the intro music from the popular series.

The next trick-or-treat special is inspired by Back To The Future. This one replicates the DeLorean Time Machine’s interface on the digital cockpit, with matching sound effects from the speakers. Furthermore, the “88 mph” button activates a light show on the exterior, making your time-traveling DeLoRivian even more noticeable.

The third option is the “Haunted Rivian Car Costume”, which gives you a choice between eight sound effects and three color themes. Depending on the selected Car Costume, the Gear Guard figure on the application dresses up like Knight Rider, Doc Brown, or a scarecrow.

Fun is good but safety is a top priority, meaning that the aforementioned gimmicks are only available when the vehicle is parked. Furthermore, the exterior lightning effects are reserved for the 2025 Rivian R1T and R1S models, making use of their light bars.

Besides the Car Costumes, the EVs swap the locking sound for different kinds of owl chirps. The digital instrument cluster turns pedestrians into zombies, while bicyclists and motorcyclists appear like headless horsemen. Finally, the Camp mode now features crows, pumpkins, and green flames, with similar Halloween-specific graphics for the drive modes.

This is not the first time that Rivian made Halloween a little more special for its customers, as the automaker rolled out similar updates in 2022 and 2023.