Rivian is celebrating Halloween in style with a new software update that introduces Car Costumes for its electric vehicles, letting drivers transform their R1 models with themes inspired by iconic entertainment vehicles. The update rolls out on October 18 and offers a fun, immersive experience right from the Rivian app.
The Car Costumes include Knight Rider, Back to the Future, and a Haunted Rivian mode. While the vehicles must be in park to activate the features, each theme brings unique sound, lighting, and design touches that fans will recognize instantly.
In Knight Rider mode, drivers can engage K.I.T.T.’s signature red scanner light and sound effects on Gen 2 models. The interior screens mimic K.I.T.T.’s diagnostic display, while the theme music from the original TV series sets the mood.
Heck, even the “Hoff” was brought back by Rivian to tease Knight Rider:
An iconic duo reunited @DavidHasselhoff.⁰
The countdown is on. Our Halloween software update arrives after the clock strikes midnight (local). Spooky features will be available for a limited time. pic.twitter.com/hdKV0z4WIC
— Rivian (@Rivian) October 17, 2024
For fans of Back to the Future, the Time Machine costume transforms the R1’s screens and sound effects to resemble Doc Brown’s famous DeLorean. Gen 2 owners can activate an 88mph button in the app, triggering themed lighting and sound across the vehicle’s front and rear.
The Haunted Rivian costume offers spooky sound effects and color themes, such as purple, green, and red. For Gen 1 models, a green exterior animation adds a ghostly touch, while Gen 2 vehicles feature customizable light bars that match the chosen theme.
Alongside the Car Costumes, Rivian has brought back the popular Owl chirp, along with several new chirp options. Pedestrian displays in the driver interface have been given a ghoulish twist, with pedestrians appearing as zombies and cyclists as headless horsemen. Camp Mode also gets a seasonal upgrade, featuring pumpkins, crows, and glowing green flames at night.
All of these Halloween updates are pretty fun and amazing. Kudos to Rivian for pulling this off for their Gen 2 owners.
These Halloween features will be available through the Rivian app until November 4. To access the update, both the vehicle and mobile app must be running the latest version, such as the 2024.39 software update.
