Rivian has teamed up with Epic Games to develop a simply brutal user interface
Talking about interfaces for cars is generally talking about interfaces that are quite boring and very far from the degree of perfection that the UI of our phones approaches. So much so, that Android Auto has evolved to become the native operating system of some electric cars (Android Automotive), and Apple Carplay wants to follow a similar path.
Meanwhile, manufacturers like Rivian follow an opposite path: a brutal alliance with the company behind deliveries like Fortnite. The pact with Epic Games allows Rivian to use the Unreal Engine graphics engine, a marvel that we find in some of the best games of the moment.
Unreal and Rivian have announced a collaboration for the new R1 family, electric SUVs from the American manufacturer. The objective is clear: to develop an interface that mixes the best of Unreal Engine’s 3D with Rivian’s own style which, in this case, offers an animated alternative far from the purest realism. A design language that you may like more or less, but that is unique.
The agreement is relevant to the motor industry, as it shows the capabilities that an infotainment system can achieve when powered by a graphics engine of this caliber. Specifically, Rivian tells us about only six months to develop the interface.
Although we may perceive this design as “cartoon,” Rivian believes that every physical part of the vehicle must be represented correctly, from the tires to the wheels, the coating, the paint, the windows and the finish. In other words, what is being displayed is an accurate, albeit animated, representation of our vehicle. We highly recommend watching a video of how the system works, as it is quite spectacular.
“Unreal Engine not only helped us create the look and feel of the driving modes in a very agile and iterative way, but it also allowed us to make each mode more dynamic. For example, any mode can seamlessly transition into another mode that choose the driver. And even when the mode settles, the vehicle and the surrounding environment remain dynamic. The viewer will see moving clouds, grass, flowers and trees. They can even touch the vehicle with two fingers and rotate it, and the environment. it moves with it in three dimensions,” explains Eddy Reyes, senior manager of Rivian’s Integrated Software Experiences team.
Rivian remains a brand without focus outside the United States, despite the relevance it is gaining. Despite this, the company opens the door to implementing cutting-edge graphics engines within the infotainment systems of electric cars, a movement that the industry must pay attention to.
Image | rivian
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