Rivian has been sued by three vehicle owners who allege the electric vehicle maker misrepresented the future autonomous driving capabilities of its first-generation R1T trucks and R1S SUVs. The proposed class action claims those vehicles lack the hardware needed to deliver the hands-free, eyes-off driving that buyers were allegedly promised.
The complaint was filed Wednesday in the US District Court for the Central District of California. Rivian declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.
Lawsuit Targets Driver+ Marketing Claims
The plaintiffs allege Rivian promoted Driver+, its advanced driver-assistance system, as standard equipment that would eventually support Level 3 automated driving. At that level, a vehicle can control steering, acceleration, and braking under certain conditions without requiring the driver to continuously watch the road.
Drivers must still be available to take control when the system requests it. Level 3 therefore differs from fully autonomous driving, which does not require human supervision within its operating conditions.
The lawsuit claims Rivian promoted these capabilities for five years through a coordinated national marketing campaign. It cites public comments from CEO RJ Scaringe, including statements made during TechCrunch Disrupt in 2022.
“No software update, no matter how sophisticated, will enable its Gen 1 Vehicles to perform as advertised,” the complaint states. The plaintiffs accuse Rivian of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment, and have requested a jury trial.
First-Generation Vehicles Lack Hands-Free Driving
First-generation R1T and R1S vehicles do not support Rivian’s current hands-free assisted driving feature. The company redesigned the vehicles’ internal systems in 2024 while keeping their external appearance largely unchanged.
Second-generation vehicles received a new electrical architecture, battery system, suspension, seats, sensors, and the Rivian Autonomy Platform. The platform includes cameras, radar sensors, and substantially more computing power than the earlier system.
Rivian later introduced Universal Hands-Free through a software update for compatible second-generation vehicles. The feature works across more than 3.5 million miles of roads in the United States and Canada when lane markings are visible, according to the company’s autonomy page.
Universal Hands-Free remains an eyes-on system, meaning drivers must continue monitoring the road. It does not provide the eyes-off capability associated with Level 3 automation.
Rivian Previously Settled Investor Lawsuit
The new case follows a separate shareholder lawsuit involving Rivian’s 2022 price increases for its R1 vehicles. Rivian agreed in 2025 to pay $250 million to resolve claims that it misled investors about production costs and pricing before its public listing.
Rivian denied wrongdoing in that case. The settlement covered investors who purchased the company’s shares between November 10, 2021, and March 10, 2022.
Featured image credits: Sandy Campbell via Flickr
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