Rivian Owners Strike Back: Lawsuit Claims Early EVs Sold on Empty Self-Driving Vows

Rivian faces fresh legal heat as a proposed class action accuses the EV maker of marketing Level 3 autonomy it could not deliver. Filed June 18 in federal court in California, the suit names three plaintiffs who bought 2022-2023 R1T and R1S vehicles, paying premiums for hands-off driving. The complaint asserts Gen 1 models lacked essential hardware, cameras, sensors, and compute, despite promises of software-enabled autonomy. The filing traces marketing from 2018 through 2023, with RJ Scaringe and others publicly touting sensors and opportunities for hands-free operation. Current Gen 1 ADAS remains limited to highway assist; true hands-free features arrived only with later Gen 2 and the R2. Rivian declined comment.