One of my favourite television shows growing up was Knight Rider, unlike the typical cop show from the 80s, the partner of the main star was in fact a car. Not just any car, a fully autonomous car with decision making capability, intelligence, speech, gadgets, offensive and defensive measures and unmatched speed compared to any other road car.
When Knight Rider debuted on NBC in September 1982, television viewers were immediately captivated by a high-octane vision of the future.
Created by legendary TV producer Glen A. Larson, the hit action series centered on a simple, iconic premise: “A shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist.”
At the heart of the show was an unforgettable duo: Michael Knight, played by a charismatic David Hasselhoff in his breakout role, and his ultimate crime-fighting partner—a heavily modified, virtually indestructible black 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am named KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand).
A Classic ’80s Power Duo
The narrative commences after undercover police officer Michael Long was shot in the face and left for dead. Rescued by dying billionaire Wilton Knight, Long was given reconstructive surgery, a new identity as Michael Knight, and a mission to champion the cause of the innocent through the Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG).
While Hasselhoff brought charm and action-hero swagger to the screen, KITT provided the brains. Voiced by veteran actor William Daniels, KITT was defined by his dry wit, strictly logical mindset, and unwavering loyalty. Remarkably, Daniels chose to remain uncredited during the show’s early seasons to preserve the illusion that KITT was a genuine autonomous supercomputer rather than an actor in a recording booth.
The supporting cast anchored KITT’s operational world: Edward Mulhare played Devon Miles, FLAG’s refined and distinguished director, while Patricia McPherson played Dr. Bonnie Barstow, KITT’s brilliant chief engineer and technician. The playful friction between Michael’s impulsive, gut-driven actions and KITT’s meticulous, analytical reasoning gave the show a warm heart, keeping millions tuned in across its four-season run.
Yesterday’s Sci-Fi, Today’s Showroom Floor
What truly elevated KITT into an automotive legend wasn’t just his red scanning light or turbo boosts; it was his mind-boggling suite of futuristic technologies. In 1982, KITT’s capabilities seemed light-years away from reality. Today, stepping into a modern vehicle feels surprisingly close to sitting in KITT’s cockpit.
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Autonomous Driving: KITT’s Auto Cruise feature allowed him to navigate highways, city streets, and complex scenarios completely unmanned. Modern drivers experience this vision through Tesla’s Full Self-Driving, GM’s Super Cruise, and Level 3 conditional hands-free highway driving. Mercedes-Benz offers ‘Drive Pilot,’ which is an internationally certified Level 3 system allowing true hands-off, legally liability-shifted driving under specific conditions and lower speeds in places like Germany and select US states.
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Voice AI Assistants: Michael spoke to KITT in natural, conversational language, asking for route directions, threat analysis, or friendly banter. Modern AI assistants—integrated via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and built-in LLM software in vehicles like Mercedes-Benz and BMW—allow drivers to control climate, navigation, and media seamlessly via voice. When we tested the Lexus RX, you can simply say “Hey Lexus, open the sunroof” — and it will do it for you without you having to take your hands off the wheel.
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Collision Avoidance & Radar: KITT’s front-mounted scanner constantly monitored obstacles to automatically steer or brake around incoming danger. Today, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), forward collision warnings, and blind-spot monitoring are standard safety equipment.
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Smartwatches and Remote Summoning: Whenever Michael spoke into his Comlink wristwatch—“KITT, I need you”—the car drove itself right to the curb. Modern smartphone applications and smartwatches now let drivers remotely start, unlock, climate-control, and even “Summon” their cars out of tight parking spaces.
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Digital Dashboards: KITT’s interior was a dazzling wall of LED screens, digital readouts, and voice-graph synthesizers—a stark contrast to the standard analog dials of 1982. Today’s automotive interiors, love them or hate them, are dominated by full-width digital instrument clusters and massive central touchscreens. In fact, car manufacturers are actually going back to physical buttons as we drivers simply don’t like the overwhelming number of screens in today’s cars.
A Lasting Legacy
Knight Rider ran for 90 episodes until 1986, but its impact on pop culture and automotive design remains timeless. What once required Hollywood special effects, hidden stunt drivers, and creative writing is now rolling off assembly lines worldwide. KITT wasn’t just a TV prop; he was a remarkably accurate blueprint for the smart, connected automobile of the 21st century.
The following and fan base for the show is so immense, that a documentary company called ‘Wheelhouse TV’ are currently putting together a five-part docu-series entitled ‘Knight Rider: Declassified.’
The five-hour deep dive will look into the making of Knight Rider, previously untold stories, the remarkable era of action television that surrounded it, and a treasure trove of information about the car itself. The series will consist of interviews with the cast, writers, directors, producers, stunt coordinators, historians, KITT’s construction coordinators, music composers and more. The series will be available to buy on 4K + bluray and streaming, and is expected to be released around Christmas 2026. The Free Car Mag team simply can’t wait! You can find more information here: https://wheelhousetv.com/krdeclassified
In the meantime, be sure to watch the official trailer here:
https://youtu.be/LUiVT43M0Ow?is=c-DOR_-oEvOAK3kD
