The Apple Watch app will be introduced along with the update of the main Rivian app to version 3.9. With the smartwatch, owners will be able to lock and unlock the car, start it, activate the alarm, set the battery charge level, and adjust the cabin temperature. To use the watch as a key, the app must be open on the Apple Watch screen.
This is not a full-fledged digital key like in the second-generation Rivian. In the new R1T and R1S (model year 2025 and newer), the car automatically locks and unlocks when the owner approaches or moves away with a smartphone in their pocket. For first-generation cars, the user will need to interact with the watch screen.
To use the watch instead of a physical key, an Apple Watch with a SIM card is required, costing from $299 in the US.
The full-fledged second-generation Rivian digital key is compatible not only with iPhone and Apple Watch but also with Android devices, including Google Pixel and Samsung smartphones. Meanwhile, the new Apple Watch app will also be available to Gen 2 car owners.
The Rivian App version 3.9 update has not yet appeared in the App Store but is expected in the coming weeks.
Source: Riviantrackr