Rivian electric trucks can level up with Camp mode feature, part of latest OTA update

September 4, 2022 by admin 34 Comments

Rivian on Friday officially revealed its Camp mode for R1T and R1S electric trucks, and it includes all the features that CEO RJ Scaringe had teased a week ago, plus a few more.

Camp Mode, as Rivian detailed in a blog post, will prep vehicles for overnight stays in the woods by shutting off screens, activating flood lights in the side mirrors, and automatically leveling the suspension to provide a flat sleeping surface when the vehicle is parked on a hill. It will even set timers for charging ports and outlets. There are also full “stay on” and “stay off” modes for those who want hotel-like or disconnected, respectively.

Rivian Camp mode

The leveling process itself, which takes advantages of the trucks’ air suspension, can take anywhere from 20 seconds to a few minutes, according to Rivian, and the trucks will chime when finished.

Had help beta testing Camp Mode. Can’t wait for you to try it! Rolling out very soon in next OTA update… pic.twitter.com/JNoOAjWupr

— RJ Scaringe (@RJScaringe) August 27, 2022

Most of the Camp mode settings will only work when the trucks are parked and doors are closed, according to Rivian, and when the terrain is simply too steep the vehicle will prompt you to move to a different position and try again.

Rivian has already added some features to customer vehicles through OTA updates, including a Pet Comfort Mode, Soft Sand driving mode, and Show and Tell Mode, which keeps exterior lights and the in-car screens on indefinitely while the vehicle is in park.

But Camp Mode’s automatic leveling could be particularly useful for owners who use their vehicles as Rivian intended. While this is something offered in the aftermarket for vehicles from Land Rover and others, we’re not aware of another original-equipment equivalent.

2023 Rivian R1S

Camp mode is part of Rivian’s latest over-the-air update, which includes several other key features. Among them, the trucks can now display range as a percentage, either in addition to distance or instead of it. They also provide an option to display metric units for speed, distance, temperature, and air pressure. And owners can now remotely control the hood, vent the windows, and activate or stop the panic alarm via the Rivian smartphone app. Rivian has reduced battery drain when parked by about 10%.

The CEO last year teased the R1S as an “awesome car-camping setup” due to its flat-folding seats, which create room for sleeping bags or an air mattress. Automatic suspension leveling complements that.

The feature might prove even more useful for those considering a topper or bed-mounted tent for the R1T. The pickup can also be equipped with an all-electric camp kitchen, which slides out of the Gear Tunnel located behind the cab.

And for when you’re not sleeping in the truck, Rivian has announced a partnership with Under Canvas to provide charging while glamping.

—
with reporting by Bengt Halvorson
This story is updated from one that originally ran August 31, to reflect official Camp mode and OTA update details.

This article was originally published by Greencarreports.com. Read the original article here.