Rivian Reportedly Eyes Door Redesign To Alleviate Safety Concerns: Report

EV maker Rivian Automotive (RIVN) is reportedly reworking an element in its vehicle doors due to concerns about potential safety issues.

According to a Bloomberg report on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, the company plans to incorporate a manual release that is more clearly visible and located near the electrically powered interior handles in the rear doors of its next-generation R2 SUV.

The redesign comes on the heels of customer and employee concerns regarding the current design, the report added. It aims to address issues arising from the R1 vehicle redesign last year, which relocated the rear manual releases to a difficult-to-access location, potentially slowing occupants’ attempts to exit the vehicle if the electrical system loses power, sources told Bloomberg.

In the company’s R2 SUV, slated for release in the first half of 2026, the mechanism for opening the rear doors and positioning of the manual release will be similar to the front doors, the report said.

It is unclear whether the redesign will apply solely to the upcoming R2 SUV or also to the company’s R1 vehicles, the report added.

Rivian shares traded marginally higher at the time of writing. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around RIVN stock remained within the ‘neutral’ territory over the past 24 hours, while message volume increased from ‘normal’ to ‘high’ levels.

Last month, U.S. auto safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a probe into Tesla Inc.’s (TSLA) Model Y vehicles over concerns that the electronic door handles may become inoperative due to low battery voltage in the vehicle.

The regulator then stated that its Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is aware of nine incidents where customers were unable to open doors on model year 2021 Model Y vehicles, and subsequently opened a probe into an estimated 174,290 vehicles to assess the scope and severity of the condition, including associated risks. Tesla is now reportedly working to integrate the manual and electric door releases to make them more intuitive for occupants.

RIVN stock is up 2% this year and approximately 26% over the past 12 months. 

Read also: UnitedHealth Shareholder Proposes Distinct Chairman And Chief Executive Roles: Report

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