Owners of the Rivian R1T all-electric truck may now switch to a new climate control mode called Pet Comfort to ensure proper in-car air conditioning for the pets left inside.
According to a study the manufacturer allegedly conducted, the temperature in the cabin of a car may rise by as much as twenty degrees Celsius within ten minutes. Even when it is relatively cool outside, it can be scorching hot in the cabin, putting any pets inside in real danger.
Pet Comfort can be activated via a single button on the center touchscreen and makes sure to keep the temperature inside at a comfortable +22 °C (+71 °F), but you can customize it within the range of +20…+24 °C (+68…+75 °F).
When enabled, the on-board electronics switch motion sensors off for the duration of HVAC operation. The car send text messages to its owner whenever it finds that the cabin is getting too hot despite its best attempts or that the battery is running low; owners still have the option to keep the HVAC running until the charge runs out.
Last but not least, the infotainment system displays a message “My pet is safe and comfy” on the screen to let passers-by know that the car takes care of the microclimate inside. The lack of this message caused some animal rights defenders to smash windows in cars in the past, in a misguided attempt to save the animals trapped inside.
