Rivian’s 2024 R1T is the only EV to earn the Top Safety Pick+ rating in the pickup truck category. This is a significant achievement, as the Top Safety Pick+ rating is awarded to the safest of the vehicles.
IIHS is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is an independent non-profit that tests vehicles with the goal of reducing accident-related deaths. They provide safety ratings to a wide range of vehicles. IIHS tests for crashworthiness – how well a vehicle protects occupants in a crash, as well as crash avoidance and mitigation – the technology on board to prevent a crash, or reduce its severity.
Top Safety Pick+
The criteria for earning a Top Safety Pick+ is challenging. It requires “Good” ratings in 2 of the tested categories – the small overlap front test and the updated side test. It also requires Acceptable or Good ratings in the updated moderate overlap front test, headlights standard, and pedestrian front crash prevention test. A “Good” rating is IIHS’ highest rating, with the ratings below it being, Acceptable, Marginal and Poor being the lowest rating.
The R1T achieved a Good rating in every category, except the Front Crash Prevention for Pedestrians, where it achieved an Acceptable grade. Other than a few small outliers, the R1T achieved the best ratings of any pickup truck tested.
IIHS
Improving Ratings
Rivian’s next target for improving the R1T’s safety will likely be to hone in and focus on software for forward collision avoidance to better keep pedestrians safe. Rivian has already included a new computer, as well as a new MobilEye package on their Gen 2 vehicles, so an improved rating will likely be a matter of waiting for Rivian to gather data and train their software to better identify what is in front of the vehicle.
As Rivian continues to improve their tech, we can only expect that they’ll be picking up this award year after year. Rivian has won the award on the R1T in 2022, 2023, and now in 2024.
The other contenders for the Top Safety Pick in the pickup truck category for 2024 included the Toyota Tundra 2024 crew cab, and the Tundra once again – in its extended cab model. Both scored fairly highly, but the extended cab scored much better for rear passenger safety, unsurprisingly. What’s key here is that the R1T handily beat them both in safety across the board.
Most interestingly, the R1T is the first pickup truck to achieve the Top Safety Pick+ award and the only one of the 31 vehicles that was tested by IIHS to achieve such fantastic results. Rivian is clearly putting safety high on their list of priorities, and we’re happy to see the R1T be the truck that achieves such positive results for the first time.
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The unveiling of the Rivian R2 gave us an incredible look at its mass-market future. But Rivian didn’t just unveil a new vehicle; they also unveiled an entire suite of accessories designed to lean heavily into the adventure lifestyle.
Chief among them is the highly anticipated Treehouse rooftop tent. While Rivian has previously partnered with third-party companies like Yakima and iKamper for R1 rooftop tents, the Treehouse is a completely bespoke, deeply integrated piece of hardware that essentially makes your future R2 into a luxury camper.
Seamless Connection
The biggest pain point with traditional powered rooftop tents is cable management. You often have to awkwardly route an extension cord down the side of the vehicle, through a cracked window, and into a 12V or 120V outlet to get power up top.
Rivian has solved this problem. The Treehouse is designed to plug directly into the proprietary electrical connections integrated right into the R2’s roof structure. This allows the Treehouse to pull power directly from the R2’s massive battery pack and straight up into the tent - no loose wires or dangling cables involved.
Climate Control & Connectivity
Because the Treehouse has a direct connection to the R2’s battery, it also has a direct connection to a lot of the R2’s functions.
With the Treehouse, you don’t need to bring a tent liner or sleeping bag in the winter. The tent features integrated fan and heating controls, allowing you to dial in the perfect temperature for sleeping or relaxing, whether it's chilly in the mountains or warm in the forest.
Rivian Wave
Alongside that, Rivian has included four integrated USB-C ports, two per side, enabling you and your camping partner to get set up and charge your phones, cameras, tablets, and even power a Starlink while you take a break.
Of course, like other high-end rooftop tents, the Treehouse also features integrated lighting, both inside and outside the cabin, so you can easily climb up or find whatever you need during the day or night.
Interior Luxury
Rivian didn’t just stop at power; they designed the entire interior of the tent to feel like you’re still inside a Rivian vehicle. Essentially, they translated their premium interior directly from your cabin to your tent.
That means hard-molded touchpoints throughout the tent, including dedicated trays and cupholders, as well as a mounting system for their optional projector. A screen can be rolled down over one of the side windows, and it can quickly turn your backcountry adventure into a movie night with a few buttons.
Of course, if you’re in the outdoors, what better to do than gaze outdoors? The large glass window panels on the roof and sides give you unobstructed views of the night sky and the terrain around you, while keeping bugs and elements out.
Aerodynamic Hardshell
Efficiency is everything for an EV, especially when you strap a large box to the roof rails. The Treehouse features a sleek, hard-shell exterior that’s designed to minimize drag and preserve as much of the R2’s range as possible while you exit suburbia and make it to your camping destination.
Rivian Wave
Will It Be Produced?
Rivian’s accessory team has a history of dreaming big and sadly falling flat. Early R1T reservation holders will painfully remember the original Camp Kitchen and Gear Tunnel Shuttle, which never materialized in their original forms due to cost and manufacturing complexities, or even the removable roof Rivian prototyped for the R1.
Rivian Wave
However, the Treehouse might actually make it as-is, because the R2 is specifically designed with those integrated power ports specifically for a powered tent. The fact that the most recent prototypes that reviewers went hands-on with still had the ports means that Rivian is clearly committed to getting this tent to market.
If they can execute and keep the price reasonable, the Treehouse might just become the must-have accessory for the R2.
Rivian owners have long asked for a way to leave their iPhones at home without losing access to their vehicles, and that day has finally arrived. Rivian announced the launch of its official Apple Watch app today, bringing a highly requested suite of remote controls and digital key features directly to your wrist.
The app is designed to be a seamless extension of the Rivian ecosystem. While the automaker famously continues to skip Apple CarPlay in favor of its own software, it is clearly leaning into Apple's hardware integrations. This launch comes at a busy time for the brand, arriving just as the new 2026.03 software update begins rolling out and ahead of the high-stakes R2 SUV unveiling scheduled for next month.
Your Wrist is Now a Digital Key
Rivian Wave
The standout feature of the new app is the expanded Digital Key functionality. Rivian first brought Apple Wallet-based digital keys to second-generation (Gen 2) vehicles in December, but the new watch app brings similar power to everyone.
For Gen 1 owners (2021–2024 models), the app acts as a bridge to enable digital key support. By keeping the Rivian app open on the watch, you can lock, unlock, and even start your vehicle without your phone. Gen 2 customers get an even smoother "passive entry" experience, where the car automatically unlocks as you approach using Ultra-Wideband technology — no tapping required.
Customizable Quick Controls
Rivian Wave
Rivian understands that a watch app needs to be fast, so they’ve made the interface highly customizable. You can choose up to four "Quick Actions" to live on the main screen of the app. This allows you to lock or unlock the doors, vent the windows, or sound the alarm with a single tap.
Beyond these basics, the app uses the hardware of the Apple Watch in clever ways. For example, you can rotate the Digital Crown to precisely adjust the cabin temperature or set a target state of charge for your battery. It’s a tactile way to interact with your car that feels much more natural than swiping on a phone screen.
Glanceable Vehicle Status
Rivian Wave
The integration goes beyond just buttons. Rivian has introduced a dedicated Apple Watch complication that you can add to your favorite watch face. This lets you see your vehicle’s range and battery percentage at a glance, sitting right next to your weather or activity rings.
Inside the app, the design mirrors the iPhone experience perfectly. You’ll see your specific vehicle color and configuration visualized on the screen, and even the "Gear Guard Yeti" makes a guest appearance to let you know your car is being watched.
Looking Forward
This app is launching just as Rivian prepares to start rolling out its 2026.03 OTA update, which is bringing other major improvements like a revamped Kneel Mode and better cold-weather range transparency. Rivian’s Apple Watch app is launching with a host of new features, and the company has confirmed that more functionality is on the way.
