VIDEO: Rivian BLOWS Our Mind With This Feature Seen For The FIRST Time

The beautiful thing about the technology industry is that small, disruptive companies come along and eventually unseat the big dogs. The reality is that the bigger and older technology companies get, the further removed they are from delivering excellent, best-in-class products. At a certain point, it becomes a sales race and innovation suffers.

The same can definitely be said of the automotive industry — it's so archaic in a multitude of ways (it's not just related to product).

So when we see upstarts come to the fore with great ideas, we embrace them. Sometimes we mess up too and miss them.

A Christmas surprise came to us today in form of a Rivian tweet. In it, a video was embedded showcasing a new feature called "tank turn."

Information is slim at the moment but it appears it leverages the power of its quad-motor setup to literally spin the vehicle around. Tanks, which are equipped with treads, are known for their ability to turn on a dime in just about any terrain.

Are you enjoying this as much as we are?

Tank Turn. Available on the R1T and R1S :) pic.twitter.com/AsRKnFJGWr

— Rivian (@Rivian) December 25, 2019

SanJoseDriver - 12/26/2019 12:44:58 AM

+2 Boost

Pretty cool feature that you can only do with 4 independent motors. You also get torque vectoring which can dramatically improve range.

dumpsty - 12/26/2019 6:31:15 PM

+2 Boost

I hope the Rivian partnerships further develops into the realistic biz model for EV companies wanting to partner with larger automakers to bring mainstream EV's to market. I like what Rivian doing with Ford - and what Ford is doing with VW. I really want to shake the pom-poms but I'm just not there yet.

TomM - 12/26/2019 4:40:20 AM

+1 Boost

I am wondering exactly WHERE you would be able to do a U-turn like that on public roads? U-Turns are not legal to begin with on most highways. I can imagine how the OTHER drivers on the road would react to that maneuver .

deaHelkcunK - 12/26/2019 7:25:13 AM

+2 Boost

I'm pretty sure this maneuver is not intended to be performed on a highway or at speed. I wonder if they'll utilize 4 wheel independent steering simultaneously in efforts to take some of the shear force off the tire? Maybe then is could be used on dry pavement too?

jeffgall - 12/26/2019 8:29:15 AM

+2 Boost

You have never done a K turn, or needed to turn around in a driveway?

bnilhome - 12/26/2019 8:43:53 AM

0 Boost

This is very cool and a sign of many things to come from Rivian in my opinion. As for the use case, keep in mind Ford has invested heavily in this company and Ford also makes many police vehicles. Perhaps a cop will need to make a quick turn like this in a police chase. :)

carloslassiter - 12/26/2019 8:50:50 AM

+2 Boost

Still not as cool as the external dog seat.

1lostVW - 12/26/2019 10:28:52 AM

+2 Boost

This company is getting it right.. cool looking product, innovative use of spaces in the Truck... Huge number of deep pocketed backers.. Rivian is the company to watch if they make good on the range claims and build what they have shown so far... BMW & VW should take lessons on how to wow people again. Tesla may have a real competitor in the works.. cool product Rivian.

MDarringer - 12/26/2019 10:40:20 AM

-1 Boost

Here we go again. Rivian says "we really got something cool, give us money" time passes and nothing is produced then they say "we really got something cool, give us money" time passes and nothing is produced and so on. Rivian is 100% a swindle. They've swallowed a gigantic amount of money over the past decade and have produced absolutely NOTHING.

Tesla has nothing to fear with Rivian.