technologyScore 35/100Watch
Rivian RAP1 in-house silicon in final testing; autonomous hardware SOP Q4 2026 removes external GPU dependency
“Scaringe noted that the company's RAP1 in-house silicon is in final testing phases for the third-generation autonomy hardware launch scheduled for late 2026... RAP1, our first in-house design silicon, and the addition of lidar... our in-house silicon RAP1 is on track... both the RAP1 along with the rest of the upgrades to the system are on track for later this year.”
Why it matters
Rivian's RAP1 custom silicon reaching production test phase signals de-coupling from external GPU suppliers for inference on deployed vehicles. Once in production (Q4 2026), this reduces Rivian's reliance on GPU supply tightness and enables lower cost, faster autonomy scaling.
Investment implication
Custom automotive silicon reduces upstream pressure on GPU makers (NVIDIA) and HBM suppliers from Rivian's fleet. Conversely, success of RAP1 validates the custom-silicon-for-autonomy playbook and may encourage other OEMs (Tesla, traditional automakers) to accelerate internal silicon programs, fragmenting NVIDIA's automotive moat.