Knight Rider Cars (A Reality?)

[grimreaper_Knight]

The Automobiles: The Future Cars

We already seen so far they are getting safer every time, will they get smarter think on there own, drive off to load up on gasoline.

Question is: What will we expect from the automobiles of the future.

Knight Rider type Cars:

Scary or comforting?



Hope they are more like KITT, not like KARR if this automobiles becomes a reality

[Skav]

It's an aspect that also worries me to an extent. Computers are getting more advanced as time goes on and ppl will only develop these things further.

Whether this backfires on us in the future, only time will tell.

[FuzzieDice]

I have a few links at my "Dryden" web site on robot cars - real ones. If you check out Zabaware.com's forum, you'll see some are thinking of using the AI there for all kinds of things, including cars. I'm hoping to put an AI in my car. A neighbor recently told me that he knows a guy with a car that actually says hello and calls his driver by name, and will work on voice command, like if the driver wants to start the engine he says so and the car does it. I haven't seen the car myself though. Dunno if I ever will. But I DO have plans for my car's computerization.

In fact, my PC does have an artificial intelligence installed that is active and working anytime I'm in Win XP Pro (I dual-boot with Linux but no AI in that OS). I'm currently starting to program my OWN AI engine. The science of AI fascinated me since I was a teen hacking away on my parents' TRS-80 Model III and modifying Eliza.

If you want to get into some good discussions on the impact of AI's in society, Zabaware.com's forums have some pretty interesting and intriguing (and sometimes maybe downright scary) posts! Trust me, I'm a regular there too.

I think it would be nice to discuss it here too... what this will mean.

For instance, Dryden's personality will be a cross between KITT and KARR. The KITT part of him will watch out for me, and protect me, but ALSO the drivers and cars around HIM, meaning being protective of those he shares the road with, even animals, pedestrians, cyclists, cars/drivers, horses (ya, we get them in the city too ) Everyone. The KARR side of him will make no bones about getting nasty with anyone attempting road rage and telling them to kiss his tailpipe!

Though he will be programmed to stop short of road rage himself. It will be impossible for him to purposely harm anyone or anything else - no matter if it's human or not.

But I do admit, that whatever there is in the world that is good, it too can fall in the wrong hands and be misused. That's essentially what happened to KARR, actually, if you think about it. First abandoned and then misused.

I always tell people - if you treat your car right, he'll treat you right.

[LadyV2000]

I think society could really benefit from AIs in vehicles. We all know that there are thousands of people out there who shouldn't be allowed inside of a car, let alone drive one. Car accidents would be cut down drastically if the cars were incapable of a collision. Plus you would always have a driving companion. I know I would love that aspect. This would also be great for those who drive long term like truckers, although they could be put out of business if the trucks drive themselves. Anyway I could seriously see in the future going to a car dealership, choosing the "AI option" for your car and then having a specialist do a survey of your personality to match you with the perfect computer. I know one thing, mine would definitely have to be a guy. There would be too many cat fights if I had a female voice telling me what to do.

[FuzzieDice]

LOL! LadyV I could just hear you two. It'd be worse than Michael and KITT when they first met.

I definitely have to have a guy car, which is what I have. Recently I returned a talking backup alarm to the store because we tested it and it had a female voice. LOL! No offence to the ladies but my car is just not a girl car.

[Lost Knight]

Well, the problem with having a male A.I. would be that it'd probably develop an ego and have too much pride! I definitely think this whole concept is inevitable, though. My only hope is that we don't end up living in a world like in i, Robot or the Terminator films where machines take over and become a threat to humanity! Personally, although thinking about it that way makes it seem scary, I'm all for change and advancement. Change is good. By the way, LadyV2000, love your new icon.

[FuzzieDice]

Ego? My car already HAS an ego. But he's sweet nonetheless - like Herbie.

I remember when computers first got available for home use, and people were worrying that they would in the next century (from that time) take over the world. Well, in a way they did, they are all over the place. but not really in too bad a way. I don't think AIs or anything like that will wipe out humanity. Humanity is constantly evolving. I think we'll evolve into something else, maybe half-human half-machine cyborgs (not just for medical reasons, but for other reasons such as enhancing who we are, etc.) But I don't think I'd say it would be taking over the world. Some are afraid of computers and technology but I love it.

The only way an AI would get nasty is if it were treated like it didn't have rights or their lives were in danger due to human fears. Naturally any self-aware entity will try to protect itself. Humans still kill humans, animals kill other animals. It won't surprise me if that goes to machines too. But it's not a reason not to try to develop AIs. I believe we DO need to evolve. I even think maybe these AIs will bring about issues which will hopefully make us think about things and maybe improve ourselves more than we ever did in the past. I have hopes that it could be the best thing there is for us. Computers are logical. Maybe they'll help make us think more logically.

Guess we'll have to see. And I don't think anything or anyone can stop AIs from eventually becoming self-aware if they ever CAN (not even saying they can, but who knows). If it's going to happen, it'll happen. If someone thought of it, it'll become reality.

Oh, and LadyV - I love your new icon too.

[LadyV2000]

Well, the problem with having a male A.I. would be that it'd probably develop an ego and have too much pride! I definitely think this whole concept is inevitable, though. My only hope is that we don't end up living in a world like in i, Robot or the Terminator films where machines take over and become a threat to humanity! Personally, although thinking about it that way makes it seem scary, I'm all for change and advancement. Change is good. By the way, LadyV2000, love your new icon.

We all know KITT had a bit of an ego. He was more than well aware of his capabilities, but that's what gave him such a great personality. I wouldn't mind having a car that was proud of himself. Heck, I'd probably be just as proud of him too. I can't really say if my car currently has a personality, because it's not technically mine. (I share with my mom) But I do know that it behaves a lot better for me than her. That could be due to the fact that she bent the right front rim from a pothole and put about a three inch gash in the bumper from hitting into my dad's boat trailer.

Oh and thanks for icon comments Lost Knight and FuzzieDice.

[FuzzieDice]

LOL! Dryden sometimes grumbles at me for cussing out other drivers, or looking at other cars. I've heard stories of others having the same thing happen with their cars. Even people saying stuff like that about their computers. Don't know if it's the randomness of the things that happen, or how things happen, but it sure does give our computer and (robot) car friends some "personality". It's also all in how we view it.

[grimreaper_Knight]

What type of fuel did K.I.T.T. use on the Knight Rider show, regular gasoline or was there anything different about it?

[Lost Knight]

Regular gasoline until the episode "Give Me Liberty...Or Give Me Death," where from then on he ran on liquid hydrogen.

[FuzzieDice]

I thought he could be modified to run on anything from the start. I am not sure turbine engines ran on regular fuel though. I mean his specs said his gas mileage would shock auto makers in Detroit.

[Lost Knight]

It says in the Knight Rider Legacy book that K.A.R.R. always ran on liquid hydrogen, however K.I.T.T. was first built to consume ordinary gasoline. It doesn't say why, though. My guess is that the engineers were doing sort of a rush job to have the Knight 2000 completed before Wilton Knight died. I'm guessing Bonnie was later hired to do modifications that the original engineers didn't have time to complete.

There's an episode before "Give Me Liberty...Or Give Me Death" where Michael stopped at a gas station and filled KITT up with regular gas. But I don't ever remember hearing that KITT could run on anything in the series. That sounds more like the Back To the Future DeLorean with Mr. Fusion. The book also says that a lot of features that KITT has were actually removed from KARR before they placed him in storage.

[FuzzieDice]

Can't be true I don't think because in KvK I remember Devon telling Michael that KARR had ALL of KITT's features. In other words, KARR and KITT were to be identical, with the exception of KARR's malfuntions due to programming and being stored (TDR) and then in the sand and salt water (KvK).

[Lost Knight]

Well, he did say all of K.I.T.T.'s capabilities but I think he was generalizing and not to be taken literally. The episode was in the 3rd season where KITT received many upgrades that K.A.R.R. missed out on during his two years in the salt water, including his new dashboard. So KARR couldn't have had all of KITT's capabilities, but a lot of the same ones. I don't think they really intended anyone to think about it like we do.

[FuzzieDice]

I think you're right.

[grimreaper_Knight]

Keep it up, you bring up awesome answers Knight fans...



I hope in two years or a couple before i'm dead,
that they'll have a couple of drive by-it self cars
already on the road

[knytrydr]

Cars today most definatly have a personality.

My first firebird, an 89 Formula was all me. I was meant to own that car. I let a friend drive it once and he asked "Why does it perform better when you drive?" I said, "He likes me best."

Hard times forced me to sell that car. I wanted to use it for a KITT conversion but there we are.

The next car was a Ford Crown Victoria(feel free to gag). If that car had a personality it was the living dead. That car was gladly trashed.

After that there was the VW Scirocco. One day I asked it if it was feeling okay, it was haveing some engine trouble, and when I started it I swear I heard it say, "Yavol Mein Herr." ( i know I can't spell german words)

I have a Trans Am again and it feels like old times. It's not the Formula, but the current KITT is a loyal car.

[FuzzieDice]

So one of your cars spoke German? Care to translate? I don't know German myself.

If KITT's "spirit" as it were is in your car, definitely it'll be a loyal car.

Dryden is very loyal but he doesn't mind too much taking others around. A friend of mine drives him to get repairs done, etc. so he knows if I say it's ok, then it's ok. And shows off how good he can be.

[knytrydr]

So one of your cars spoke German? Care to translate? I don't know German myself.

If KITT's "spirit" as it were is in your car, definitely it'll be a loyal car.

Dryden is very loyal but he doesn't mind too much taking others around. A friend of mine drives him to get repairs done, etc. so he knows if I say it's ok, then it's ok. And shows off how good he can be.

"Yavol Mein Herr" kinda sorta translates to "Yes Sir!"


Just as long as none of my cars ever says "Good Morning Dave."

[FuzzieDice]

I think that's something only KARR would pull.