Museum Gets NYC Speeding Ticket for KITT Replica
A $50 citation was mailed to Illinois' Volo Museum after a traffic camera in Brooklyn flagged a black Trans Am bearing a novelty "KNIGHT" plate.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Car Culture
The Volo Museum in Illinois received a $50 New York City speeding ticket for its black 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am replica of KITT from the TV series Knight Rider. The citation alleges the car traveled 36 mph in a 25 mph zone on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn on April 22.
Why it matters
The museum says the replica has not been moved in more than a decade, raising questions about how an automated camera system linked the exhibit car to a violation. The case highlights how novelty license plates can be misread by traffic enforcement technology.
The citation cites a recorded speed of 36 mph in a 25 mph zone, and the replica is a 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. The museum says the car has not moved in more than a decade.
The players
Volo Museum
A Volo, Illinois museum known for its collection of vintage cars and pop culture vehicles, including the KITT replica at the center of the citation.
New York City Department of Finance
The city agency reviewing how the camera citation was issued and linked to the museum's vehicle.
New York City Department of Transportation
The city agency that oversees traffic enforcement infrastructure, including the camera system that recorded the violation.
The details
New York City's Camera Violations Unit mailed the notice to the museum on May 11. The camera images show a black Trans Am with a California plate reading "KNIGHT," which is a novelty plate rather than a valid California registration; the Department of Finance and Department of Transportation are looking into the matter.
Timeline
April 22: Traffic camera recorded the alleged speeding violation in Brooklyn at about 1:02 p.m.
May 11: The museum received the New York City citation notice.
Seasonal Patterns
Automated camera enforcement in New York City has expanded in recent years, and this citation shows how novelty plates can produce misattributed tickets when systems match on plate text alone. The case sits at the intersection of vehicle enforcement technology and the car culture of replica and show vehicles.
Owners of novelty or personalized plates should be aware that automated enforcement can misread them and generate citations for vehicles that were not on the road. Anyone who receives an out-of-state camera ticket should check the plate and photos before paying.
The takeaway
Vehicle owners with novelty plates should verify that camera images match their actual car before paying an out-of-state citation. Automated enforcement is only as accurate as the plate data it relies on.
Further reading
Explore more Car Culture stories from across the state.
