R1T Truck

Make
Rivian
Segment
Sports Car

Car security has come a long way in the last few decades. Back when an alarm was considered cutting edge, motorists used all sorts of contraptions to ensure their wheeled treasures remained in the same spot as they had left it. Wily criminals could, of course, work around it and still help themselves to possessions or worse, the entire car.

Systems such as Tesla's Sentry Mode have heightened vehicle security, as it's able to catch devious individuals attempting to cause damage. Rival carmaker Rivian has now showcased its version, which is similar to the Sentry Mode but goes a few steps further.

Called Gear Guard, the system is designed to protect your R1T and possessions. Comprised of three components - video, cable, and alarm.

"It all starts from the user experience. This is really the north star [that] guides everything [we are] doing...we have developed software which manages all the cameras, and will automatically detect motion when the vehicle is asleep," said Wassym Bensaid, VP of software development.

The carmaker created its own algorithm which can identify any number of objects, including pets and humans. As soon as the algorithm senses there is a human around the vehicle, the system will begin to record from five of the 11 cameras fitted to the vehicle.

Sorted by location, date, and time, the recordings are stored on the vehicle's onboard internal hard drive. This will certainly prove useful to Rivian owners who need to use the footage, should an incident occur. Because the electric carmaker is able to update its vehicles over the air, the system can be improved with new features and additional security measures.

Prior to developing the system, developers spoke to target customers - mountain bikers and skiers - in order to gain an understanding of what customers would want. "We started noticing [that] nobody even seemed to care about [whether their] car is going to get stolen. [They're more concerned about their] bike getting stolen."

As a lifestyle pickup, customers want to know they can leave their Rivian unattended while loaded up with expensive gear and not worry. A nifty braided steel cable, finished in a woven nylon covering, allows customers to safely secure cherished items in the Rivian R1T's bed. Unlike aftermarket items, there is no key or combination - the cable secures when the vehicle is locked. "The cable locks into the bezel on the side of the truck. It's kind of like the home base," director of industrial design, Kaitlyn Benoit said.

Adding a touch of playfulness to the system is the Gear Guard character. Designed to resemble a friendly yeti-like creature, Rivian says the mascot is used as a deterrent, dissuading a would-be thief from helping themselves to your vehicle. When someone is near the vehicle, a video showing the character recording is played, alerting individuals that they're being recorded.

"There's this warm and inviting nature to the character that was designed to put a smile on people's faces." While the friendly-looking mascot is certainly a humorous addition - and will definitely make kids smile - we're wondering if the entertaining Gear Guard mascot won't invite people over to your car to check the system out.

Nevertheless, Rivian's new system is certainly clever and will prove popular with the outdoorsy type that Rivian is targeting with its all-electric pickup. With production finally gaining pace, it will be interesting to see how the R1T squares up to its upcoming rivals such as the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning, and GMC Hummer EV, all of which will undoubtedly boast incredibly clever features that will appeal to tech-loving consumers.