Rivian (RIVN) to open a UK office that will focus on AI and autonomous driving technology

American EV automaker Rivian is expanding across the pond into the UK, hoping to tap into the region’s talent pool in artificial intelligence engineering.

Rivian is a growing American EV brand with expanding office footprints as much as its lineup of unique electric trucks and SUVs. The company is currently headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with its main production facility located in Normal, Illinois alongside plans for a second production footprint about 40 minutes outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

Other US locations currently include offices in Irvine and Carson, CA, Wittmann, AZ, and Plymouth, MI. Outside of the US, Rivian operates out of offices in Vancouver, BC, Canada, Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Belgrade, Serbia.

This morning, Rivian announced its latest international office in London, UK, which will become an AI-centric development hub.

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Rivian to open AI Hub in the UK

According to a release from Rivian early this morning, it sees the UK as rapidly becoming a world leader in artificial intelligence engineering, and is looking to tap into that talent pool with the new international office.

While Rivian’s current Autonomy Platform enables drivers to utilize hands-free, eyes-on highway driving, the American automaker intends to continue to evolve such tech to offer greater levels of autonomous capabilities.

Rivian shared that its second-generation EVs were designed with an “AI-centric approach.” As its Gen2 vehicle fleet continues to develop and grow, the automaker has been collecting more and more data to help accelerate the improvements to ADAS technology. Per the company:

Rivian believes the combined strength of its perception platform and in-vehicle data infrastructure will enable it to build a Large Driving Model, unlocking unparalleled understanding of complex driving scenarios and accelerating the path to safer, more capable autonomous features.

Rivian said the future work done at its new UK AI hub will enable its EVs to improve in the future via over-the-air (OTA) updates. Details remain light, but Rivian shared plans to host an “AI and Autonomy Day” later this year and promised to share more about its product and technology roadmap.