Rivian has begun rolling out software update 2026.36 for R1 and R2 vehicles, bringing R2 owners Pet Cam, which lets them check on a pet inside the vehicle through a live video stream from the Rivian app. The update also adds the Rivian Voice Assistant to the R2, about four months after the vehicle’s launch.
How does Pet Cam work?
The feature relies on the R2’s interior camera, which Rivian describes as a high-resolution RGB unit, to send a color image of the cabin to the phone. Users can start the stream from the Gear Guard section of the app, where the current temperature inside the vehicle appears on the video.
Instead of opening a live stream, users can also rely on updated still images that appear in the app dashboard and on the phone’s lock screen. This makes it possible to quickly check the pet’s condition and the temperature without keeping the stream open. Anyone inside the vehicle can also stop the stream with a single tap on the central display.
What do R1 vehicles receive?
Pet Cam does not include the R1T and R1S, as Rivian links the feature to the interior camera found in the R2. However, owners of the first and second generations of R1 vehicles, along with R2 owners, receive remote control of Pet Mode through the Rivian app.
Activating this mode previously required turning it on before leaving the vehicle. With the update, it can be activated from the app after moving away from the vehicle, then deactivated using the animal-paw icon among the climate controls. The app requests confirmation to reduce the possibility of accidentally turning off the climate control or leaving it running for hours.
Subscription and limitations
Rivian did not mention a separate price for the feature in its announcement, but the company’s Connect+ page lists remote camera streaming among the paid benefits. Connect+ costs about $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year, and the page limits Gear Guard Live Cam streaming to one hour per day. It also states that viewing the cabin from inside works only when Pet Mode is activated and is not intended for monitoring people.
The Rivian Assistant arrives on the R2
The update also adds the Rivian Voice Assistant to the R2. The assistant can adjust the climate, media, and navigation, answer general questions, display weather conditions at the destination, and identify the song playing. It can be activated by pressing the right Haptic Halo Wheel on the steering wheel, touching its icon on the display, or saying “Hey, Rivian.”
Why does this update matter?
The update expands remote-control functions in Rivian vehicles, but it also highlights the differences in capabilities between the R2 and R1 and the dependence of some functions on a Connect+ subscription. The addition of the voice assistant to the R2 comes later than the initial delivery date Rivian had previously indicated, as R2 deliveries began on June 9. According to the company, rollout of version 2026.36 for eligible vehicles began one month after R1 and R2 were unified on a single software package through RivianOS 2.