Rivian just gave its EVs a KITT from Knight Rider makeover with this creepy software update
Rivian gets into the Halloween spirit with a software update that lets owners transform their R1 electric SUVs into KITT Knight Ridera time machine Back to the future or a ghostly scarecrow that teases pedestrians with creepy owl sounds.
No, this isn’t some awkwardly mistimed April Fool’s joke, but a temporary software update from Rivian that it hopes will bring some fun to the rather boring subject of software-defined vehicles.
Once users have updated the latest software on both the smartphone app and the vehicle (over the air, of course), Rivian R1 owners can then choose from a number of ‘Car Costumes’ that take over the infotainment system, exterior and interior. lighting and in some cases even sound effects from outside.
While in the park (for legal reasons), owners must first find the ‘Get Spooky’ card on the main page of the Rivian mobile app and then select the Gear Guard, dressed as Michael Knight, to get a Knight Ridertheme pack with software shenanigans.
The main infotainment display will display KITT’s on-screen diagnostics and play the show’s original intro music, allowing owners to channel their inner Hasselhoff on the way to work.
Rivian says that owners of the second-generation R1 will also enjoy an exterior light bar that emits a red beam and emits the iconic scanner sound effect, “creating the ultimate Knight Rider experience,” the brand said.
If Back to the future is more your thing, Rivian has just the solution, as its custom ‘Car Costume’ has apparently turned the R1 into Time Machine. Not literally, of course, but it will transform the infotainment screen into the famous DeLorean interface and play music and sound effects from the movie.
Once again, second-generation R1 owners can get in on all the fun as a 90mph button is enabled Back to the future Also themed lighting and sound effects at the front and rear of the vehicle.
Rivian gets creepy
Knight Rider And Back to the future These may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of Halloween. That’s why Rivian has also catered to the traditionalists with a Haunted ‘Car Costume’ that sees video static images (a la The ring) and ghosts flying around the car displays.
There are also eight different sound effects and three different color themes to choose from, including Halloween classics purple, yellow, red and green, while Gen 2 owners can choose a spooky hue for the exterior light bar. When parked, otherwise this bit of seasonal fun could be against the law.
Additionally, owners are treated to a bunch of other Easter eggs (or should that be candy corn?) for fans of the spooky season, like the driver assistance display, which gets a live feed from external cameras and sensors, turning pedestrians into zombies and cyclists into headless riders.
According to Rivian, the Halloween fun will only last until November 4 before it becomes dull and boring and will likely be replaced by Christmas tattooing instead.