Rivian's Chief Software Officer, Wissam Ben Sayet, discusses the company's disruptive approach to in-car software and the automotive industry's shift to software-defined vehicles. He outlines how Rivian, through its joint venture with Volkswagen (RV Tech), is building a centralized, agile software architecture to power future EVs, moving away from complex, multi-supplier systems to deliver integrated, user-centric experiences. This episode offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of software innovation within the traditional automotive landscape for any business navigating legacy systems and rapid technological change.
Key takeaways
Traditional automotive software development with numerous suppliers and long development cycles is unsustainable for modern EVs; a centralized, agile, software-first approach is crucial.
Adopting a "clean sheet" approach to software development, rather than incremental updates, is essential for truly innovative and integrated in-car experiences.
Successful software integration requires not just technical talent but also a significant cultural shift towards agile methodologies and continuous development.
The Rivian-Volkswagen joint venture demonstrates a model for combining a tech-forward company's innovative software culture with a large OEM's scale to accelerate industry-wide change.
Future car features will be defined by seamless, personalized experiences (e.g., automated car recognition and profile configuration) rather than hardware, necessitating deep software control over multiple vehicle functions.
Themes
ai & automationproduct & merchandisingfounder & leadership
Today, I’m talking with Wassym Bensaid, the chief software officer at Rivian, and the co-ceo of Rivian’s platform joint venture with Volkswagen. That joint venture, called RV Tech, is about a year and a half old, so I wanted to ask Wassym how it all works and Rivian’s ongoing relationship with Volkswagen. Because it’s Rivian, I also had to ask Wassym about CarPlay. But the company also just launched an AI-powered voice assistant, which I got to try early. So I had a lot of fun digging into that with Wassym, too. This is a fun one – really in the weeds of a lot of my favorite things to talk about. Links: Rivian’s AI-powered voice assistant is ready to roll | The Verge The R2 is nearly here — can Rivian stick the landing? | The Verge Rivian’s AI pivot is about more than chasing Tesla | The Verge Rivian / VW will start testing their first EVs next year | The Verge Rivian CEO: ‘We’re really convicted’ about skipping CarPlay | Decoder (2025) Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe says too many carmakers are copying Tesla | Decoder (2024) Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe isn't scared of the Cybertruck | Decoder (2023) Rivian’s chief software officer says in-car buttons are ‘an anomaly’ | TechCrunch Subscribe to The Verge to access the ad-free version of Decoder! Credits: Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Decoder is produced by Kate Cox and Nick Statt,. This episode was edited by Xander Adams. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane. The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.
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Traditional automotive software development with numerous suppliers and long development cycles is unsustainable for modern EVs; a centralized, agile, software-first approach is crucial.
What does this episode say about product & merchandising?
Adopting a "clean sheet" approach to software development, rather than incremental updates, is essential for truly innovative and integrated in-car experiences.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Successful software integration requires not just technical talent but also a significant cultural shift towards agile methodologies and continuous development.
What does this episode say about ai & automation?
The Rivian-Volkswagen joint venture demonstrates a model for combining a tech-forward company's innovative software culture with a large OEM's scale to accelerate industry-wide change.
What does this episode say about ai & automation?
Future car features will be defined by seamless, personalized experiences (e.g., automated car recognition and profile configuration) rather than hardware, necessitating deep software control over multiple vehicle functions.
