Rivian’s latest software update is one many pet parents will be very pleased to see. Following the latest 2026.36 update, R2 vehicle models will have the option to put a Pet Cam on your phone’s lock screen in case you need to step away from the car while your critter is still inside. This feature leverages the high-definition interior camera in R2 models to show the vehicle’s interior in the Rivian app. You’ll be able to see a full livestream if you don’t want to miss a minute of whatever your pet gets up to, or just see a regularly refreshed snapshot in the app dashboard or on your lock screen for a quick check. The Pet Cam can be stopped with a tap on the vehicle’s main display.

The next software update also has further improvements coming to the Pet Mode that Rivian already made available for animal-friendly climate control when you’re not on board. Now you can enable Pet Mode from the Rivian app, in case you forget to turn it on before leaving the vehicle. There will also be a confirmation prompt when toggling Pet Mode on or off from the app to avoid accidental changes that could put your canine companion, feline friend or awesome avian at risk. These controls will be available in all models from the company. 

In non-pet news, R2 vehicles will also be seeing the debut of Rivian Assistant. The AI voice assistant is already available in R1 models, and it can be directed to handle simple tasks around navigation, entertainment and climate in the vehicle.