It’s typical for the headliner sponsor of SXSW to have a presence. But sheesh, Rivian — the title sponsor — really is everywhere. The EV maker is clearly trying to make a big splash and connect with attendees: It has at least four installations, including in the exhibition area inside the Austin Convention Center and an outdoor obstacle course, which I tried out.
Sadly, they didn’t let me drive the course, which included two large hills and one section that took the second-gen R1T pickup truck off camber. The driver put the vehicle in all-terrain high to tackle the course, which took about three minutes to complete.
