Rivian owners file lawsuit alleging false promises on self-driving features

Rivian has been sued over allegations that the EV maker made false claims about the autonomous driving capabilities of its R1T truck and R1S SUV models. The class-action complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, focuses on the first-generation models and claims that Rivian represented these flagship vehicles would be capable of hands-free, eyes-off driving, a designation known as Level 3 autonomy. The lawsuit alleges Rivian falsely promised, over a five-year period and through a coordinated nationwide marketing campaign, that it would make its hands-free driver-assistance system, known as Driver+, standard in every vehicle it builds. The complaint states, "No software update — no matter how sophisticated — will enable its Gen 1 Vehicles to perform as advertised," and argues that Rivian "unquestionably knew that its Gen 1 Vehicles would never be capable of Level 3 autonomy or 'true hands-free driving' yet continued to tout the supposed capabilities of its vehicles to induce consumers to purchase them." The lawsuit includes claims against Rivian for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment. Rivian declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation. This is not the first time Rivian has faced a successful legal challenge, as the company agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action shareholder lawsuit last year. The first-generation R1T and R1S vehicles do not offer hands-free driving, but the second-generation vehicles, which were overhauled in 2024, do. The second-generation vehicles were equipped with the "Rivian Autonomy Platform," which includes 11 cameras, five radar sensors, and a more powerful computer. Last year, Rivian rolled out "Universal Hands-Free" driving via a software update pushed out to second-gen R1 vehicles. Rivian is not the only automaker to face legal challenges over promises to deliver self-driving features, as Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk have also faced lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny.

(Source：TechCrunch)