As someone who has struggled to find an EV computer that understands how to drive through fluids (e.g. sand)… I got a chuckle from a new Rivian blog post.

…the new drive mode relaxes the accelerator pedal response for smoother, more gradual acceleration and deceleration in wintery on-road conditions. Snow mode also introduces a new low Regenerative Brake setting, which is exclusive to this mode. 

Ok, a sluggish pedal to prevent spin is basic stuff. Makes sense. They even added some nice detection logic.

The vehicle will automatically nudge you to switch to the new mode if you’re in Conserve and it detects wheel slip and an ambient outdoor temperature of 34 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. 

Cold outside and slippery, again makes sense. I was just beginning to yawn when…

The punch line:

Snow mode is meant solely for driving on roads and highways and is not meant for off-road scenarios. We recommend using the Off-Road All-Terrain drive mode for snowy off-road adventures. 

LOL. OK, OK, “snow” mode is for slippery cold roads, NOT for… driving through snow.

Perhaps at best they should have marketed it as a snow road mode?

Or slow mode?

Or let’s be honest and call it the old fashioned traction control.

Again, fluids seriously blow up the traction logic in a vehicle computer. Sand, snow, deep rivers… forget about it. That’s still human territory.

I was hoping someone has worked on an actual computer snow mode.

Alas, this is just reducing tire spin on a flat surface after detecting tire spin and cold.