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Rivian Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid told The Drive that Teen Mode and Valet Mode are in development and are slated for early 2027 across the automaker’s models. Teen Mode is expected to let owners set limits such as reduced horsepower and restricted off-road access; exact settings and release details have not been announced.
Rivian is developing Teen Mode and Valet Mode for its vehicles, with the features currently slated for early 2027, Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid told The Drive. Teen Mode is expected to let owners configure restrictions for younger drivers, including limits on horsepower and off-road features, addressing concerns about giving inexperienced drivers access to powerful electric vehicles.
Bensaid said Rivian heard requests for a teen-focused driving option from its community. He told The Drive the company delayed the feature because it wanted to build it around its digital key integration and new user profile system. An owner would be able to designate separate profiles for children and decide which profiles receive restrictions.
The planned controls could include limiting horsepower, restricting access to off-road modes and managing stability-control settings. Bensaid described categories and toggles that owners could configure, rather than a horsepower slider with a freely chosen output. The Drive reported that the interface would be comparable to Rivian’s RAD Tuner, which uses on-screen sliders and toggles.
Bensaid said digital-key permissions would be tied to profiles and protected by a password, so a teen could not simply switch out of the restricted profile. He also said owners could associate a key card or key fob with a particular profile. Valet Mode is planned as a separate feature, with options to restrict access to storage areas such as the front trunk and gloveboxes.
Controls for Younger Rivian Drivers
The planned feature would give Rivian owners a way to configure driving access for family members who may not be ready to use every vehicle setting. The concern is especially relevant to high-powered vehicles: the report cites Rivian models with outputs reaching 1,025 horsepower, alongside heavy electric vehicles capable of rapid acceleration. Teen Mode could let parents restrict selected features through driver profiles instead of relying only on instructions to a young driver.
The system’s usefulness will depend on the restrictions Rivian actually offers and how reliably profile permissions work with each key. Bensaid said owners would have flexibility over settings, but Rivian has not yet published a final feature list or explained how the company will handle different ages and driving experience. The feature is a planned software control; the interview does not establish how much it will reduce crash risk.
Digital Keys and Driver Profiles
Rivian’s proposed Teen Mode builds on a broader system for managing digital keys and user profiles. Under Bensaid’s description, an owner could create profiles for different children and assign each one settings suited to that driver. The automaker also plans to link physical key cards and fobs to specific profiles, rather than letting those keys automatically bypass a profile’s restrictions.
Teen Mode and Valet Mode are separate planned features. Teen Mode is intended to configure vehicle access for younger household drivers, while Valet Mode would let an owner limit access to selected compartments. The Drive reported that both are slated for early 2027 across the R1T, R1S and R2. Rivian has not provided a more specific launch date in the source material.
“We got that feedback from the community. The only reason we did not get it yet is we really wanted to do it right, and it will leverage on all the framework of the digital key integration that we have.”
— Wassym Bensaid, Rivian chief software officer, speaking to The Drive
Feature Details Still Pending
Rivian has not announced a final list of Teen Mode settings, how owners will choose each restriction, or whether any controls will differ by model. The interview describes planned categories, including horsepower and off-road access, but does not specify actual power limits or how stability-control settings will be handled.
The source also leaves open how Rivian will verify a driver’s age, how profile changes will be managed in practice, and what the 10-month reference in Bensaid’s description means. Early 2027 remains a target rather than a confirmed release date, and the company has not given a more precise schedule.
Rivian’s Early 2027 Target
Rivian is targeting an early 2027 rollout of Teen Mode and Valet Mode across the R1T, R1S and R2, according to The Drive’s report. Further details from the company would be needed to confirm the final settings, supported vehicles and release timing.
Until Rivian publishes those details, the feature’s exact capabilities remain subject to change. Owners and prospective buyers can look for updates from the company as the target launch approaches.
Key Questions
When does Rivian plan to release Teen Mode?
Rivian currently plans to launch Teen Mode in early 2027, according to The Drive’s interview with Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid. No specific date has been announced.
What could Teen Mode restrict?
Bensaid said owners may be able to limit horsepower, restrict off-road modes and configure other settings. Rivian has not released the final controls or specific power limits.
Can a teen exit a restricted profile?
Bensaid said profile changes would be protected by a password and that key cards or fobs could be associated with specific profiles. Rivian has not published implementation details.
How is Valet Mode different from Teen Mode?
Valet Mode is planned as a separate feature. Bensaid said it could let owners restrict access to compartments such as the front trunk and gloveboxes.
Source: rss
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