Rivian “Fat Finger” OTA software update for the R1T and R1S Soft Brick

A failed software update resulted in a minor malfunction on some Rivian vehicles, which, in some cases, may require a physical repair.

Last night, Rivian began rolling out its latest software update over the air, 2023.42.0. Some vehicle owners were clearly eager to update to the latest version, as it promised improved proximity locking, vehicle access, gauge display, and more. However, owners who installed the software update immediately after its release were met with stuck progress indicators and blank infotainment screens.

As it turns out, a software update inadvertently weakened the infotainment systems of an unspecified number of all-electric R1T and R1S trucks. Within hours of the update rolling out and affected owners reaching out to the automaker’s unaware support channels, Rivian pulled the update and issued a statement about the root cause.

“We made a mistake in the 2023.42 OTA update, sending the wrong build with the wrong security certificates,” a Rivian employee wrote on Reddit. “We have (cancelled) the campaign and will restart it using the appropriate software that has been beta testing various campaigns. The service will reach out to affected customers and review resolution options. This may require a physical fix in some cases.

Although the infotainment system has been destroyed, most of the car’s important functions still work. RivianTrackr, which first showed off a video of the unsuccessful update to the Otherwise the infotainment screen is blank.

A Rivian spokesperson confirmed InsideEVs The issues affect both R1T and R1S vehicles and reiterated that the automaker has paused the rollout of this update. It’s not clear how many vehicles have installed the software update before then, though it appears Rivian has this information across its fleet, as it says its service team will contact customers for repairs.

Meanwhile, customers It said They are asked not to charge or restart their cars in an attempt to fix the problem.

“The issue affects the infotainment system. In most cases, the rest of the vehicle’s systems are still running. Resetting the vehicle or sleep cycle will not resolve the issue. We are investigating the best options to address the issue for affected vehicles. Our customer support team is providing Our priority is to support our customers regarding this issue.

Realistically, Rivian has handled this as best it can. I took the issue to task and stopped it as quickly as possible, albeit after it affected some production vehicles. At least the automaker didn’t blame an intern, am I right?

The Rivian owner community has also been very receptive to the company’s response. People on Reddit and Facebook groups have been somewhat relaxed about the issue knowing that the company is planning to fix it and is prioritizing support for the failed update. This is also the first Rivian software update that has bothered a number of vehicles in a meaningful way, so a little leniency isn’t exactly unheard of.

As of now, Rivian doesn’t have a solution expected, though it hopes to resolve the issue remotely. Those who need physical service will likely be contacted, according to Rivian’s initial statement on the matter. Rivian plans to restart the update campaign with the appropriate software at a later date.