The Knight Rider Mystery: How a Stationary Museum Replica ‘Speeded’ Through Brooklyn

An Illinois museum is facing a bizarre administrative mystery after receiving a speeding ticket for a vehicle that hasn’t left its display in years. The Volo Museum, located near Chicago, recently received a $50 citation from New York City alleging that its replica of the iconic 1980s television car, “KITT,” was caught speeding in Brooklyn.

The incident has left museum officials baffled, as the vehicle in question—a black Pontiac Trans Am modeled after the “Knight Industries Two Thousand”—is a stationary museum piece and not a road-legal vehicle.

The Brooklyn Citation

According to city records, the violation occurred on April 22 on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. A traffic camera captured a black Trans Am traveling southbound, allegedly reaching speeds of 36 mph in a 25 mph zone. The citation included photographic evidence of the vehicle, which bears a customized California license plate reading “KNIGHT.”

The $50 fine was mailed directly to the Volo Museum. The museum, which is named after the Illinois village where it is situated, shared the citation on social media, noting the absurdity of the situation. “This is 100% legit… You can’t make this up!” the museum stated in a post that quickly gained viral attention.

A Hollywood Prop in Motion?

The vehicle is a replica of the famous talking car from the action series Knight Rider, which starred David Hasselhoff during its four-season run starting in 1982. While the show’s car was a high-tech marvel, the museum’s version is a non-operational Hollywood prop.

Jim Wojdyla, the marketing director for the Volo Museum, expressed confusion regarding how a museum exhibit could be linked to a traffic violation in New York. “The fact that we’re legally tied to a movie prop is interesting,” Wojdyla said. “We’re known for having our Hollywood cars from TV and movies, but I have no idea how we got registered from a ticket in New York to the plates in California to the Volo Museum in Illinois.”

The museum maintains that the replica has not moved from its exhibit in years, making its presence on a Brooklyn thoroughfare physically impossible.

The License Plate Connection

The mystery deepens when examining the vehicle’s registration. While the museum’s replica is an unregistered display piece, the “KNIGHT” California license plate captured by the camera appears to be connected to a series of other issues. City records indicate that this specific license plate has been linked to five other unpaid traffic violations in New York City since late 2024.

It remains unclear how the New York City traffic system successfully linked a California novelty plate to an Illinois-based museum. City officials have not yet provided a formal response to inquiries regarding the connection or the identity of the actual driver of the vehicle captured in the photos.

Key Takeaways

• The Violation: A $50 speeding ticket for allegedly driving 36 mph in a 25 mph zone in Brooklyn on April 22.
• The Vehicle: A black Pontiac Trans Am replica of the Knight Rider car, “KITT.”
• The Location: The Volo Museum near Chicago, Illinois, where the replica is a stationary exhibit.
• The Discrepancy: The vehicle was caught on camera with a California “KNIGHT” plate, a plate also linked to five other unpaid NYC violations since late 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Knight Rider car at the Volo Museum road-legal?

No. The museum describes the vehicle as a replica and a movie prop that has remained stationary in its exhibit for years and is not registered for road use.

How could a museum car get a ticket in New York?

While the exact mechanism is unknown, New York City’s automated systems linked the “KNIGHT” California license plate seen in the traffic camera footage to the Volo Museum, despite the car being located in Illinois.

Who is responsible for the speeding ticket?

The ticket was sent to the Volo Museum, but the identity of the individual driving the actual vehicle captured in Brooklyn remains unknown.