Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe is betting on EVs, robots, and autonomy all at once — he’ll explain why at Disrupt 2026
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe will discuss the company's strategy regarding electric vehicles, humanoid robotics, and autonomous driving at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. The session will cover the launch of the R2 SUV and the integration of robotics into manufacturing processes.
Why it matters
As Rivian faces intense competition and market pressure, its pivot toward diversified automation and lower-cost vehicles is a critical test for the future of EV manufacturing.
Building a company is hard. But building one that also designs, manufactures, and delivers hardware at scale, from a factory floor, with supply chain concerns galore is another order of difficulty. And Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe is speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to detail that journey and the lessons it’s bestowed.
Rivian sits at the intersection of AI, software, robotics, manufacturing, and transportation. And Scaringe has spent the better part of two decades proving that intersection isn’t just survivable. He also thinks it’s about to become much more crowded.
Scaringe’s Disrupt Stage session is just one of many big conversations happening at Disrupt this year, running October 13-15 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Check out the programming that’s been announced so far here , and if you don’t already have a ticket, lock in yours before our next price increase on August 22 .
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