Rivian Might Be Preparing a Major Handling Surprise for Its Upcoming Electric Vehicles | Carscoops

      This new technology will follow the introduction of Rivian's latest quad-motor powertrain.

      Rivian's job posting suggests the company is working on the development of rear-wheel steering and a steer-by-wire system.

      Since the R1T and R1S were just updated last year, they may not be equipped with this new technology.

      Implementing rear-wheel steering would significantly decrease the turning radius of their electric vehicles.

      Alongside the steer-by-wire system, Rivian seems to be focused on rear-wheel steering, both of which could greatly influence the handling of its electric vehicles. However, there is no specific timeline for when these enhancements will be available, so current Rivian owners likely don't need to think about trading in their vehicles just yet.

      Information regarding Rivian's latest innovations has emerged not from an official press release or executive statement, but through a recent job listing. The listing specifies that the automaker is searching for an engineer to join their Vehicle Hardware Engineering – Chassis – Product Development team.

      Their responsibilities will involve the product development of crucial chassis steering hardware components, including "steer by wire, rear wheel steering, and advanced ADAS steering technologies."

      Considering that both the R1S and R1T are substantial vehicles designed with off-roading in mind, it is somewhat surprising that they lack a rear-wheel steering system. The Tesla Cybertruck introduced rear-wheel steering a couple of years ago, which enhanced its handling on narrow trails, in parking lots, and on roads.

      Following the examples set by Tesla and Lexus, implementing steer-by-wire seems like a sensible advancement for Rivian, as it would eliminate any physical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels. Like Tesla and Lexus, Rivian would need to incorporate backups in case of system failure. Additionally, steer-by-wire would enable Rivian to modify the steering ratio based on vehicle speed, a feature already utilized by both Tesla and Lexus.

      As previously mentioned, there is no indication of when these systems might be ready, but if Rivian is just beginning to develop them, they will likely take a few more years to arrive. While they could potentially appear on the R1T and R1S, which were just updated, a further significant update would be required. The smaller R2 and R3 models might also be suitable candidates for these new steering systems.

      A prototype of the forthcoming R2 SUV (Photo Baldauf).