Rivian is moving quickly to address a security oversight that has left some owners feeling vulnerable. After a high-profile report of an accidental frunk opening, the company’s software team has confirmed that new safeguards are officially in development to prevent "butt-dialing" your storage space.
The issue gained traction after X user @dictionaryhill shared a stressful experience at the gym. Recently, when coming out of the gym one day, they noticed that their R1T’s frunk was open with their backpack and other belongings simply there for anyone to potentially grab. The situation was particularly risky because the frunk contained an iPad, a wallet, and $1,000 in cash from a recent Facebook Marketplace sale. Despite having proximity unlocking turned off, the front trunk had sat wide open in a public parking lot for several minutes.
When I came out the gym today, I found my Truck with the frunk open and my backup untouched. It had a Rivian Carabiner key attached to it (I have proximity unlocking off) My iPad, Wallet and countless other crap.
— Meccanica (@dictionaryhill) April 5, 2026
Just sold something on FB marketplace earlier and had 1k cash. pic.twitter.com/ik7qWA7Soj
The Problem with iOS Widgets
After reaching out to the owner, Rivian’s team was able to verify that the command came from a phone widget. According to Rivian, @dictionaryhill’s iPhone sent out a frunk opening command at 11:50 a.m., which the owner said originated from an accidental screen tap. They walked out of their gym and discovered the truck open just seven minutes later.
Accidental taps on smartphone widgets are a common frustration for EV owners. Because these buttons are designed for quick access, they often lack the "Are you sure?" confirmation required for such a significant physical action. Rivian’s Chief Software Officer, Wassym Bensaid, joined the conversation to acknowledge the flaw. "We can still do a better job to protect from some of the accidental taps with the iOS widgets. Working on it," Bensaid stated.
Learning from the Competition
Rivian isn't the first company to deal with this. Tesla, for example, has a built-in safeguard that asks for confirmation on the screen if you try to open the frunk while your phone key is not actively connected to the vehicle. This ensures that if you accidentally tap the button from a mile away, the car won't just pop open. However, if you are standing right next to the car, it assumes the intent is real and opens immediately.
Rivian is currently on a roll with highly requested software updates, recently confirming a new battery health menu is also on the way. Adding a confirmation step or a "long-press" requirement for the frunk widget would be a simple but effective fix to keep gear safe, while a proximity check before the command is executed would be a more complex but convenient solution. This is especially important as the company prepares to launch the highly anticipated R2, which features a spacious front trunk that will likely be a primary storage spot for many new owners.
While @dictionaryhill was lucky this time, the incident highlights the growing pains of software-defined vehicles. Rivian’s willingness to engage directly with owners and push out fixes over-the-air remains one of its biggest strengths. We expect to see these new "anti-accidental" options arrive in an upcoming update, perhaps in time for the first R2 deliveries later this spring.
