Plus the night owl chirp and zombie pedestrians from previous Halloween updates make a return for a limited time only
October 21, 2024 at 11:50
- The Rivian R1T and R1S play dress up for the Halloween season, with a special software update.
- Highlights include graphics, lighting, and sound effects inspired by K.I.T.T. and the DeLorean time machine.
- The gimmicks are available until Nov 4, and most of them work only when the EVs are parked.
Rivian came up with more creative ways to turn “spooky” this Halloween season. The automaker announced a new software update for 2024, adding “Car Costumes” inspired by the Knight Rider TV series and the Back To The Future films, alongside several Halloween-themed features.
The update is available for both the R1T and the R1S for a limited time, between October 18 and November 4. The highlight is that the Rivian EVs can replicate features of the K.I.T.T. and DeLorean Time Machine movie cars, using custom infotainment graphics, together with lightning and sound effects,
More: This Rivian R1T Floated 150 Feet During Hurricane Helene And Still Runs Fine
The Knight Rider costume will turn your Rivian’s light bar into the iconic red scanner of the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, originally driven by David Hasselhoff. The actor even revisited his famous role for a cameo appearance behind the wheel of the Rivian R1T.
The Knight Rider treatment is more extensive inside the cabin. Rivian’s 15-inch infotainment display transforms into a replica of K.I.T.T.’s diagnostic panel with many colorful buttons, while the audio system plays the intro music from the popular series.
The next trick-or-treat special is inspired by Back To The Future. This one replicates the DeLorean Time Machine’s interface on the digital cockpit, with matching sound effects from the speakers. Furthermore, the “88 mph” button activates a light show on the exterior, making your time-traveling DeLoRivian even more noticeable.
The third option is the “Haunted Rivian Car Costume”, which gives you a choice between eight sound effects and three color themes. Depending on the selected Car Costume, the Gear Guard figure on the application dresses up like Knight Rider, Doc Brown, or a scarecrow.
Fun is good but safety is a top priority, meaning that the aforementioned gimmicks are only available when the vehicle is parked. Furthermore, the exterior lightning effects are reserved for the 2025 Rivian R1T and R1S models, making use of their light bars.
Besides the Car Costumes, the EVs swap the locking sound for different kinds of owl chirps. The digital instrument cluster turns pedestrians into zombies, while bicyclists and motorcyclists appear like headless horsemen. Finally, the Camp mode now features crows, pumpkins, and green flames, with similar Halloween-specific graphics for the drive modes.
This is not the first time that Rivian made Halloween a little more special for its customers, as the automaker rolled out similar updates in 2022 and 2023.
