Top Rivian Auto Product Role Filled by Apple Home Devices, Car Veteran DJ Novotney’s Departure
According to sources familiar with the matter, a long-time Apple Inc. employee who played a key role in the development of home devices and the initiation of electric vehicle projects is departing for Rivian Automotive Inc. This departure adds to the growing list of senior executives leaving Apple. The individual will assume the position of senior vice president of vehicle programs at Rivian, a company known for manufacturing electric SUVs and pickup trucks. They will report directly to CEO RJ Scaringe. The sources requested anonymity as they were discussing undisclosed information.
Novotney, who worked at Apple for nearly 25 years, was known as a senior lieutenant to many of the company’s top hardware designers. He was instrumental in the development of several generations of iPods and iPhones, and former hardware chief Dan Riccio asked him to help develop the iPad, the people said.
“We’re best at making great products, and I’ve been so fortunate along the way to be part of so many incredible teams that have developed everything from the iPod, iPhone, iPad, Watch, and more,” Novotney wrote in a memo to colleagues. which Bloomberg saw. “Apple has been my life, but now it’s time for me to move on and help bring new products to life.”
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Novotney also helped bring the Apple Watch to market, as Apple COO Jeff Williams and former chief designer Jony Ive brought him on board with the project. About a decade ago, Novotney was one of the few executives asked to launch Apple’s effort to develop an electric vehicle — a project codenamed Titan.
A few years ago, after setbacks in the reorganization of the car project, Novotney moved to a senior manager in charge of developing devices for the home of the future, including some in the robotics and artificial intelligence spaces. Apple has been exploring a HomePod with a display that can be rotated with the help of a robotic arm, Bloomberg News reports.
Rivian sees hiring as a big coup. Novotney, who starts at the company on Monday, is one of about ten vice presidents. In his new role, he leads the product management of products and design, which makes him one of the most critical leaders in the company.
Rivian’s Scaringe took on a chief product officer after previous chief development officer Nick Kalayjian resigned, Bloomberg News reported in November. Kalayjian will leave the automaker this year, and Novotney will take over many of his responsibilities.
Spokesmen for Apple and Rivian declined to comment. Novotney did not respond to a request for comment.
For Cupertino-based Apple, the change means yet another departure from the leading ranks. Tang Tan, Apple’s vice president of product design for the iPhone and Apple Watch, is leaving the company next month for LoveFrom, Ive’s design firm, while hardware technology director Steve Hotelling left late last year. In 2022 and 2023, it lost a number of other heads of hardware, operations and services.
Irvine, Calif.-based Rivian has been seen as a leading contender among a handful of electric car startups chasing market leader Tesla Inc. It makes two consumer models – battery powered electric scooters and sport utility vehicles called R1T and R1S. The company also makes a battery-powered electric van for Amazon.com Inc. and recently announced that it has divested itself of the exclusive right to sell the last-mile product to others.
