Rivian Founder’s New Company Aims To Evolve Humanoid Robots

InnovationTransportationRivian Founder’s New Company Aims To Evolve Humanoid RobotsByEd Garsten,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Ed Garsten is a metro Detroit-based reporter who covers autos/mobilityFollow AuthorMay 19, 2026, 05:10am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.The founder of Rivian Automotive has launched a new company aimed at developing more effective humanoid robots. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)VCG via Getty ImagesIn a conversation about humanoid robotics JR Scaringe references Rosie, the robotic house cleaner in the 60’s animated TV show “The Jetsons,” and C3PO and R2D2, the “Star Wars” saga droids, and personal digital assistants Siri and Alexa. R1T trucks on the assembly line at the Rivian electric vehicle plant in Normal, Illinois. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)TNSTo the founder and CEO of electric vehicle company Rivian Automotive Inc. those thoughts are just reflections of how humans dream up technologies to help them get things done, including robots that have a human-like form. While traditional factory robots do their work in confined spaces, programmed to perform a handful of tasks, so-called humanoid robots are more mobile and can be trained using AI to perform myriad tasks.But as Scaringe explained in an interview, it became apparent to Rivian much more needed to be learned about how to best use a loop where AI continuously improves by taking in information from ongoing processes, known as a data flywheel, for training humanoids and better integrating them into factory workflow.MORE FOR YOUHe also noted that humanoids require much different physical environments in order to operate properly.Those were issues that deserved to have a separate company address them, so that’s what Scaringe created. It’s called MIND Robotics with Scaringe as its chairman and Riv...