Rivian R1S Becomes Inoperable Following Minor Collision in Parking Garage | Carscoops

      To exacerbate the situation, the owner asserts that Rivian described this as a "safety feature."

      A Rivian owner collided with a pillar in a parking garage, resulting in slight damage to his vehicle. He claims that the incident rendered his R1S immobile, regardless of his efforts.

      This case underscores how modern vehicles can restrict control and make emergency situations more complicated.

      Mistakes occur. However, typically, a minor incident does not render an entire vehicle inoperable. Yet, that is precisely what one Rivian R1S owner contends happened in a parking garage. After what he describes as a small bump into a pillar, his advanced luxury SUV became completely immobile. Furthermore, Rivian allegedly informed him that this was not a malfunction but a “safety feature.” His only course of action was to arrange an expensive tow.

      According to the owner of the R1S, the parking garage accident was so trivial that it merely resulted in a cracked tail light and some scratches on the bumper. It's certainly frustrating, but hardly the type of mishap that should leave a vehicle stranded.

      He has not yet disclosed the repair costs, which can be exorbitant for minor damages with Rivian vehicles, but that isn’t the primary issue. The critical question is: how does such a minor impact render a car completely undriveable?

      Nevertheless, this is precisely what the owner JCarlosLima reports on Reddit, detailing the experience: “After inspecting the damage, I returned to find the car wouldn’t shift into any gear – Drive, Reverse, or Neutral. After trying multiple system reboots, I contacted Rivian support only to be told this was allegedly a ‘safety feature,’ necessitating a tow. This led to a several-hour ordeal involving multiple tow trucks just to extract it from the low-clearance garage. Now I need another tow from my house to the shop.”

      They raise important questions. Is Rivian’s so-called “safety feature” genuinely safe? If this incident occurred off-road or in high-speed traffic, the occupants might face greater danger than if they could at least move the SUV to a safer location.

      My Rivian R1S became an 8,000lb brick in my office garage – A cautionary tale by u/jcarloslima in Rivian

      This situation serves as a stark reminder of how complex modern vehicles have become. The era of having complete, unrestricted control over one’s car—including shifting into any gear or mode as desired, even if not the safest option—is largely over. Today’s cars are increasingly regulated by software, automation, and safety protocols that, while often advantageous, can sometimes produce unexpected consequences.

      In many instances, these restrictions are justifiable, preventing drivers from making potentially hazardous choices. However, in situations like this, where a minor accident completely immobilizes the vehicle, the absence of a manual override seems like a reasonable expectation.

      Carscoops has contacted Rivian for clarification on which mode or system caused this shutdown. We will update you with their response as soon as we receive it.

      Image Credit: JCarlosLima