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Rivian announced it has acquired Third Dimension, a startup whose technology uses AI to match the physical world, according to TechCrunch on October 22. The acquisition aims to accelerate Rivian's self-driving ambitions by leveraging Third Dimension's world model technology combined with Rivian's extensive driving data, potentially creating a powerful simulator for autonomous vehicle training. The deal reflects the competitive push among automakers to develop advanced simulation and perception systems for autonomous driving. By acquiring proven world model expertise, Rivian strengthens its position against Tesla and other competitors in the race to deploy fully autonomous vehicles.