Rivian’s Vans Under Federal Scrutiny After Drivers Complain Something Isn’t Right

More than 17,000 of Rivian’s all-electric delivery vans are under the watchful eye of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to potential failures of the driver’s seat belt anchorage system. According to the agency, drivers could be left without any kind of functional restraint in the event of a crash, which obviously poses a significant safety risk.

The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation has received six Vehicle Owner Questionnaires that state the seat belt anchorage system can fail. These questionnaires “describe multiple instances in which the seat belt steel braided cable frays, breaks and/or unravels, leaving the occupants unrestrained in the event of a collision.”

Read: Rivian Offers Owners Cash To Sign Away Their Legal Rights

It’s also noted that a frayed cable can weaken the seat belt load capacity. In the event of a collision, the NHTSA says a faulty seat belt system “presents an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.”

A total of 17,198 examples of 2022 and 2023 model year Rivian EDVs will be investigated. The ODI says it will “focus on the integrity of the seat belt assembly, installation method, and potential design/manufacturing changes and deficiencies.” The investigation will also allow it to understand the frequency and severity of the alleged fault.

So far, the NHTSA is not aware of any injuries or fatalities caused by a failure of Rivian’s seat belt anchorage system.

The Rivian EDV is sold in three different wheelbase options and load capacities. It was initially built exclusively for Amazon after the retail giant placed an order for 100,000 vehicles, which will be delivered gradually until 2030. As of November 2023, the electric van has become available to other companies as well, where it is marketed as the ECV.