Volkswagen and Rivian provide one-year update on partnership

The Volkswagen Group made waves last year when it announced that it was pledging a whopping $6.78 billion (USD 5 billion) of investments into a joint venture (JV) with buzzy, electric American upstart, Rivian. One year on, both companies are eager to share their progress with the world. 

A brief rewind before proceeding: Dubbed Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies, or RV Tech for short, this joint venture aims to develop a state-of-the-art zonal electronic architecture and functional software - what you'll otherwise know industry-wide as Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) architecture – for both companies.

The production version of the Volkswagen ID.EVERY1 concept will be the first model Group-wide to receive the technologies produced by RV Tech

The SDV-architecture sees powerful modular 'central computers' controlling all vehicle functions - not unlike what BMW has revealed with the iX3 - with customers expected to benefit from highly automated driving features and advanced infotainment solutions that can be continuously updated via over-the-air updates.

RV Tech states that this eliminates the need for regular visits to workshops for plug-in software updates vehicles while keeping the vehicles up to date and continuously improving the driving experience.

Interestingly, while nearly every major brand doesn't make an effort to mask its sights on China (it's the world's largest auto market after all), what's particularly interesting about RV Tech is its explicit focus on "the Western Hemisphere".

The technological gains are expected to impact the lineups of both the Volkswagen Group and Rivian Automotive.

Rivian will also incorporate the SDV-architecture learnings into products on its future lineup, including the R2 pictured here

On its side of the Atlantic, Volkswagen has revealed that it will deploy the SDV architecture on its upcoming SSP platform, which is expected to support a Group-wide vehicle volume of up to 30 million units.

And back in North America, Rivian is aiming to incorporate the same technologies for its future products: The R2, R3, and R3X.

With work on the SDV architecture progressing along steadily, RV Tech has announced that plans to send prototype vehicles from the Volkswagen, Scout, and Audi brands into their first winter testing phase at the beginning of 2026.

Perhaps most prominent here is the news that the Volkswagen ID.EVERY1 - VW's next-generation stab at an entry-level EV - is among said vehicles, and is scheduled to launch in 2027 as the Group's first vehicle carrying these technologies.

It's worth noting that the hardware and electronic architecture for these reference vehicles have already been defined since the second quarter of 2025, with RV Tech now aiming to validate the performance of the SDV architecture in demanding climatic conditions.

RV Tech also states that it is continuing to build up its international development team, which now numbers more than 1,500 employees.