The first AI Day is about to open, and Rivian (RIVN.US) ushered in a “Model Y moment” that replicates Tesla?

The Zhitong Finance App has learned that the US electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian Automotive (RIVN.US) will host its first “Autonomous Driving and Artificial Intelligence Day” on Thursday. Against the backdrop of slowing growth across the electric vehicle industry, the company is turning to artificial intelligence technology to support its growth prospects.

The company is expected to announce the progress of its technology roadmap, including its autonomous vehicle platform and data flywheel. “In the long run, we believe what will differentiate our autonomous driving capabilities from our competitors will be our end-to-end, AI-centric approach,” the company's CEO Robert Scarlinger said in an earnings call last month.

This AI assistant is designed to integrate with all vehicle control systems. Most of the AI software stack is developed in-house by Rivian, while Rivian has also partnered with other companies to develop specific agent-based AI capabilities.

Imitate Tesla's “soul”

The core reason why Tesla enjoys a high valuation that far exceeds that of traditional car companies is that it is viewed as an artificial intelligence company rather than just a car manufacturer. Rivian is clearly trying to replicate this valuation logic.

According to Rivian CEO Robert Scaringe, the company's future differentiation will be built on an “end-to-end approach centered on artificial intelligence.” This closely matches the “end-to-end neural network” technology route adopted by Tesla's FSD v12 version. Rivian is trying to prove to the capital market that it also has the ability to build a “data flywheel” — that is, collect data through existing fleets, train AI, and then feed back the fleet through OTA upgrades, forming technical barriers.

Rivian's “Model Y Moment”

The electric car maker is also preparing to launch a more affordable mid-size electric SUV, the R2, in the first half of next year. Its chief financial officer Claire McDonough recently reiterated that the R2 model and Rivian's technology roadmap will have a “truly transformative” impact on the company's growth and profitability.

For Rivian, the R2 mid-size SUV, which is scheduled to launch in the first half of next year, is its “Model Y moment.”

However, Morgan Stanley's tone on Sunday was more cautious, arguing that “the slowdown in popularity, the cancellation of the $7,500 tax credit, and continued consumer concerns (mileage anxiety, charging infrastructure, residual value, battery technology, affordability) have all had an adverse impact, and mass-market cars may be difficult to overcome in the short term.”