Collaboration Between Volkswagen and Rivian
It has been a year since Rivian and Volkswagen joined forces to develop a new zonal electronic architecture for future electric models. Initially, the partnership envisioned using the American brand’s software only for future electric vehicles, but now Volkswagen states that it could apply this technology to its future models with combustion engines as well.
Key Collaboration Points
Development and Testing
The software stack is being developed by the RV Tech joint venture, which is located in Berlin and already has 1500 employees. The team is preparing for the first major milestone – winter tests at the beginning of 2026, where vehicles from VW, Audi, and Scout will be used to ensure the reliability of the new system in freezing conditions.
First Models with the New Technology
One of the first vehicles to receive the new system will be the fully electric VW ID.Every1, scheduled for market launch in 2027. Volkswagen will also use RV Tech technology for other electric vehicles based on the new SSP platform, which can support up to 30 million vehicles. In the future, it is possible to apply the same software system for models with combustion engines.
“Undoubtedly, this is an extremely powerful architecture, and we could allow its use for combustion engines in the future, but, as we have noted, our clear focus is implementation for electric vehicles, and everything else will be decided at later stages,” stated RV Tech joint venture co-CEO Carsten Helbing.
“The architecture has a high capability to manage additional powertrain configurations. Therefore, we don’t see major problems here, but, of course, this is additional work at the component and platform level.”
Technology for Rivian Models
Of course, the new system will not be used only by Volkswagen models. Rivian will also apply the technologies developed by RV Tech for its R2, R3, and R3X models, and will update its current fleet with the latest software.
“We remain extremely interested in the work coming out of our joint venture with Volkswagen Group,” noted Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe.
“RV Tech has continued to grow over the last 12 months and is raising the bar in automotive technology. We are very excited about the launch of the R2 in the first half of next year, which will showcase the joint venture’s achievements,” he added.
This collaboration could be a key step for both companies in the context of growing competition in the electric vehicle market. Integrating Rivian’s software into Volkswagen models will not only improve functionality but could also accelerate the transition to more standardized technological solutions in the industry. Furthermore, the possibility of using the same architecture for different types of engines opens up additional prospects for adaptation to changing market conditions.