Rivian’s chief software officer claims the debate about whether electric vehicles should support Apple CarPlay is about to become irrelevant — and AI is the driving force behind this shift.
Wassym Bensaid, Rivian’s software head, joined The Verge‘s Decoder podcast this week. He explained why the EV company has decided against adding CarPlay support and why he thinks this discussion will soon lose its importance.
Why Rivian Won’t Add CarPlay
CarPlay mirrors your iPhone’s apps and interface on the car’s built-in screen. While most automakers offer it, Rivian doesn’t, leading to frustration among many customers.
Bensaid’s reasoning is clear: creating an exceptional in-car software experience requires complete control over both hardware and software. By giving part of the screen to Apple, you sacrifice the chance to deeply integrate vehicle data, such as battery range and charging status, into a cohesive experience. Tesla follows the same logic by not offering CarPlay.
However, Bensaid didn’t stop at defending Rivian’s stance. He told host Nilay Patel that AI is what makes the entire debate irrelevant moving forward.
The AI Argument
Bensaid argues that AI assistants are becoming the primary way drivers will interact with their cars. Instead of navigating through menus or switching between your phone and the car’s system, you’ll simply talk to your vehicle. You can ask it for directions, play a podcast, adjust the temperature, or check charging options along your route — all through a single AI layer integrated directly into the car.
If this holds true, the choice between Apple’s interface and Rivian’s becomes far less significant. The screen itself takes a back seat to the voice-driven AI that operates underneath.
Think of it this way: debating CarPlay versus a native car interface is like discussing which TV remote has better buttons just as voice control becomes the norm. The way we input commands is evolving, making the button layout less critical.
Rivian is developing its own AI assistant and has a software partnership with Volkswagen. This partnership allows both companies to share software development resources. Bensaid’s comments indicate Rivian views this assistant as the core of its in-car experience, rather than just an add-on feature.
What This Means
For many Rivian owners who depend on Apple Maps, Spotify, or other iPhone apps, this news isn’t great in the short term. CarPlay support isn’t on the horizon, and Rivian is betting that its software will eventually match or exceed what CarPlay provides — all through AI integration instead of app mirroring.
If Rivian’s AI assistant proves genuinely useful, the disappointment over the absence of CarPlay might diminish. However, that’s a promise focused on future software, and car software has a track record of falling short. Owners who purchased a Rivian today are experiencing the current software, not what’s planned for the future.
On a larger scale, Rivian’s decision highlights a broader conflict in the auto industry. Automakers want control over the in-car experience for reasons like data ownership, recurring software revenue, and brand loyalty. Meanwhile, Apple and Google are eager to gain a foothold in the vehicle space for similar motivations. AI is becoming the new battlefield in this ongoing struggle.
| Rivian By The Numbers | |
|---|---|
| CarPlay support | None (no announced plans) |
| Software partnership | Volkswagen Group |
| Software chief | Wassym Bensaid |
| Competing EV without CarPlay | Tesla |
What the Community Is Saying
“This is just corporate speak for ‘we want your data and Apple won’t let us have it.’ I bought a Rivian and the lack of CarPlay is genuinely the worst part of the ownership experience.”
— Reddit user on r/Rivian
“He’s not entirely wrong though. If the AI assistant actually works well, I’d use it over CarPlay. The problem is ‘if.'”
— YouTube comment on The Verge’s Decoder episode
What To Watch
- Rivian hasn’t set a timeline for its AI assistant features to appear in production vehicles. Keep an eye out for software update announcements later in 2026.
- Apple plans to expand its next-generation CarPlay platform, which integrates more deeply with vehicle systems than the current version. If automakers adopt it, Bensaid’s argument could face more challenges.
- The Rivian-Volkswagen software partnership is still evolving. Any announcements on AI or in-car experience from that collaboration would indicate how serious Rivian is about its AI plans.
Sources: MacRumors, 9to5Mac, The Verge Decoder Podcast
Ava Mitchell
Ava Mitchell is a digital culture journalist at Explosion.com covering social media platforms, streaming services, and the creator economy. With 4 years reporting on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and the apps that shape daily life, Ava specializes in explaining platform policy changes and their impact on everyday users. She previously managed social media strategy for a tech startup, giving her firsthand experience with the platforms she now covers.
