Source: Bloomberg
Summary
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Rivian, alleging the company made false promises about its hands-free driving feature for its first-generation R1 vehicles. Plaintiffs claim Rivian misled customers for years, leading them to believe the feature would be available. The lawsuit seeks damages and other relief.
Our Reading
The announcement sounds ambitious.
Rivian promised hands-free driving for years, but never delivered. The feature was supposed to be a key selling point for its R1 vehicles. Instead, customers got a “beta” version that required constant monitoring. Rivian’s marketing machine called it “revolutionary” and “game-changing”. Meanwhile, customers were stuck in traffic, hands firmly on the wheel.
The launch follows a familiar script: overpromise, underdeliver, and hope nobody notices. Rivian’s “innovation” is just a rebranded version of existing tech. And the beta label? Just a fancy way of saying “it’s not ready yet”.
Missed Deadlines and Broken Promises
Rivian’s hands-free driving feature was supposed to be available in 2020. Then 2021. Then 2022. Each delay was met with a new promise, a new deadline, and a new round of hype. But the feature never arrived.
The Beta Excuse
Rivian’s “beta” version of hands-free driving is just a way to shift the blame to customers. “It’s not our fault the feature doesn’t work,” the company seems to be saying. “You’re just not using it right.” But customers aren’t buying it.
A Familiar Pattern
Rivian’s false promises about hands-free driving are just the latest example of a company overhyping its tech. It’s a pattern we’ve seen before, and it’s getting old. When will companies learn to underpromise and overdeliver?
Author: Evan Null
