Mind Robotics, a Rivian spinout, hires Doug Field as president to run product, engineering and operations.
Field previously led Ford’s EV and software groups and played a role at Apple’s Project Titan and Tesla, shaping major vehicle programs.
Rivian owns stakes in Mind Robotics and another spinout; Mind will test and deploy robots in Rivian’s factories.
Mind Robotics has raised over $1 billion from investors including Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, Eclipse, Kleiner Perkins and the venture arms of Volkswagen and Salesforce.
Quick read · 1 min
Doug Field has been named president of Mind Robotics, the Rivian-backed startup focused on industrial AI and automation. Field brings experience from Ford, Tesla and Apple as Mind plans to bring AI-powered robots into real factories, with Rivian’s facilities serving as the testing ground.
The move underscores Rivian’s strategy to commercialize robotics and AI for manufacturing. Mind Robotics has raised over $1 billion and is expanding its engineering and manufacturing footprint.
First customer: Rivian.
Investors: Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, Eclipse, Kleiner Perkins and the venture arms of Volkswagen and Salesforce.
Next steps: more hires and real-world pilots in factories.
Rivian’s push into industrial AI now has a familiar name at the helm. Doug Field, the former Ford EV chief with stints at Apple and Tesla, has been named president of Mind Robotics, the Rivian-backed startup focused on scalable factory automation. The appointment was announced on stage at Disrupt 2026, signaling a push to move from ideas to real production use.
Mind Robotics spun out from Rivian last year and has secured more than $1 billion in backing. The company aims to deliver a full stack for industrial manufacturing, focusing on robots that can perform a wide range of factory tasks powered by foundation models and AI systems. Rivian remains a minority holder in Mind Robotics and also has a stake in Also, another Rivian spinout. Mind will use Rivian’s factory as a live environment for training and deployment from day one, Scaringe has said.
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Who is Doug Field and why it matters
Field’s background spans Ford’s EV and software leadership, Apple’s Project Titan, and Tesla’s vehicle engineering. His track record with scaling electric vehicles and software programs is what Mind Robotics needs as it moves toward practical, high‑volume automation rather than humanoid robots.
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What Mind Robotics is building
The company is pursuing “universally capable robots” designed for industrial tasks, with AI guiding both physical actions and decision making in manufacturing settings. Rivian will be the first customer and a live testbed for these robots.
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Rivian’s strategy connection
Mind Robotics sits at the core of Rivian’s hardware and software ambitions. The plan is to train and deploy robots inside real factories while keeping Mind, Also and Rivian as separate entities, allowing Mind to grow on its own while leveraging Rivian’s scale for real-world testing.
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Impact on workers and everyday life
Automation in large factories could speed up production and stability in product supply, but it may also shift job roles over time. The move signals a serious push to take AI‑driven robots from pilots into widely used factory tools.
Field will drive day‑to‑day operations at Mind Robotics as the team expands and pilots more robots in industrial settings, starting with Rivian’s factories as the main testbed.
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Quick answers
Who leads Mind Robotics now?
Doug Field was named president to oversee product, engineering and operations.
Why is this notable?
It signals a big bet on AI-powered automation inside real factories, not just research labs.
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What to read next
Look for updates on pilots, deployment timelines and new hires as Mind Robotics scales its industrial robotics platform.
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