To upgrade KITT’s firmware, you will need a laptop, tablet or phone with access to the internet.

First, using the device that you will use to connect to KITT (using your phone is recommended), download the new firmware file below. Save it somewhere on your device for easy access later in the process:

KITT’s firmware updates and WiFi configuration are performed using his built-in web portal and wireless router.

There are two ways to access KITT’s portal:

1. Holding down the pedal on start-up – this will force KITT into wifi configuration mode, or
2. By pressing and holding button 12 for 3 seconds – this will enable wifi configuration mode at any time when KITT is powered on.

Once wifi configuration mode is enabled, KITT will broadcast a wireless network called “K2000_Setup” for 60 seconds allowing you to set-up wifi, change wifi settings or perform firmware updates. If you do not connect within the 60 second period, the network broadcast will be stopped.

Once in configuration mode:

1. Open your phone, tablet or laptop and go to WiFi settings.
2. Scan for available wireless networks, you will see a WiFi network called “K2000_Setup”.
3. Connect to “K2000_Setup” (no password is required).

4. A captive portal will appear as shown.
5. Select ‘Update’.

6. The update screen will appear as shown.
7. Select the button labelled ‘Choose file’ and navigate to the firmware file you downloaded earlier. If using a Mac, you can drag and drop your firmware file into the blue bordered area to upload.

8. With the firmware filename now showing on the update screen, press the red ‘Update’ button. Ensure that you keep your device close to KITT during this entire process.

9. Once complete you will see an update confirmation message and KITT will restart.

KITT can now be booted into a new ‘USB data mode’ that allows you to directly access and edit the contents of the MicroSD card via a USB cable to your PC or MAC, without needing to eject the MicroSD card. KITT will show a pattern of alternating LEDs on the scanner to indicate that USB data mode is active.

To enter USB data mode:

1. Press and hold button 10 for 10 seconds. KITT will deactivate and turns all functions off.
2. Disconnect KITT from power and then reconnect to a PC or Mac using a USB-C cable. This will restart KITT into USB data mode.
3. KITT will display alternating red LEDs on the scanner to indicate USB data mode is active. No other functions will work while KITT is in USB data mode.
4. Your PC or Mac should show a new drive similar to a USB flash drive (you may need to refresh your drives to see it).
5. You can now add / edit files directly as required. You are communicating directly with the MicroSD card in this mode – Note that file transfers will be slower than a typical USB drive.
6. Download the two new audio files below, policeMode.mp3 and policeSiren.mp3
7. Some browsers will open a media player when you go to download the audio files. Simply click the three dots then click ‘Download‘.
8. Copy these to the audio folder on KITT.

9. When finished, press and hold button 10 for 10 seconds or press KITT’s brake pedal to return to normal mode. KITT will automatically reboot back in to standard mode.

  Congratulations, KITT is now even more awesome!

Before using the updated firmware, it’s important to understand and become familiar with all of it’s new features.

Please be sure to read the release notes below and take note that the controls on the remote have been updated.

Several changes have been made to the KITT Alpha Circuit Pro to improve existing features and prepare the product for future upgrades.

New Features / Changes

• Added new extra-long button press (10 secs) feature to some buttons to enable more remote-control functions.
• KITT’s voice box now activates when audio generated by monitors is played (where relevant, subject to stock audio).
• Added ‘fuel level’ sequence to lower right dash. Fuel level diminishes over time when in ‘Engine on’ or ‘Presentation’ modes.
• Added USB data mode:
  • KITT can now be booted into a mode that allows you to access and edit the contents of the MicroSD card via the USB cable on your PC or MAC. (Please see instructions above for details). KITT will show a pattern of alternating LEDs on the scanner to indicate that USB data mode is active.
• Exterior and interior lighting now feature ‘fade out’, to more closely represent the incandescent bulbs that KITT used.
• Change to button functions:
  • Button 2 – Long press (3 secs) now activates / deactivates “Police Mode”
    • KITT’s scanner becomes a fully working police light with detailed flash animation based on a 1980’s Whelen Edge strobe commonly used by American law enforcement at the time. Using the clear lens is recommended for best results in this mode.
  • Button 9 – Short press activates “Presentation” mode and then cycles through 2 action sequences. Long press (3 secs) deactivates presentation mode.
    • “J-Turn” – Inspired by the scene where KITT escapes from a barn in Season 2 Episode 18 “Goliath Returns”
    • “Police KITT” – Inspired by the scene where KITT helps Michael free a hostage in Season 2 Episode 18 “Race for Life” by pretending to be a fleet of Police cars (EN – English only). The scanner in this scene remains red, exactly as KITT looked in this episode.
  • Button 10 – Extra long press (10 secs) – Activates / deactivates USB data mode (The device must be restarted when activating USB data mode, see instructions for details.)
  • Button 11 – Long press (3 secs) – Returns KITT’s volume to the default level (14).

Improvements

• Improvements have been made to the LED animations for increased accuracy and to enhance the user experience. These include:
  • Changes to the animation of start-up panel LEDs during the start-up and shut-down sequences.
  • Changes to the animation of LEDs surrounding the Voicebox during the start-up and shut-down sequences.
  • Increase in general brightness for all LEDs in Start-up panel.
  • Increase in general brightness for all LEDs in the PANP panel.
  • Changes to the animation of LEDs in the right-hand section of the lower dash panel during all modes.
• The voice box LED brightness has been increased slightly when in KITT mode.
• Some minor changes were made to the lightbulb decay simulation scripts for KITT’s scanner to achieve even greater bulb decay accuracy at higher scanner speeds.
• Error codes: To assist in more easily identifying error codes, different LEDs on the dashboard will be used alongside the ‘Power’ LED on the lower dash console.
  • The error code for failing to detect or read the microSD card now also flashes the blue ‘Pursuit’ LED on the voice box section of the dashboard.
• Corrected dash lighting sequences where gauges displayed invalid readings.
• Reduced brightness of lower console LEDs.
• Prevented generic gauge animation from running while in Presentation mode and during action sequences.
• Monitor generated audio is now muted when in KARR mode.
• The volume and mute settings are now ignored when KITT is in programmer mode to ensure audio instructions are heard.
• Multiple brightness adjustments have been made to individual LEDs for improved contrast and balance.
• Added a function to disable the dashboard ‘sweep’ that occurs during startup. This setting can be changed in config.txt file (startsweep:0) or via the Bluetooth app upon release.
• Minor change to headlamp motor code to ensure the motor does not run too long if triggered during startup when CPU load is high.
• Minor improvements to band levels on vuMeter modes.
• The firmware version is now displayed on the info page of the built-in captive portal.
• Cleaned up some processes to make more efficient use of system memory.
• Removed use of now deprecated EEPROM libraries.
• Refined SD card loading scripts to improve boot times and reduce the time to start playing music from SD card.
• Captive portal timeout has been extended from 60 seconds to 120 seconds.
• Internet radio URLs can now be added with or without the ‘http’ prefix.

Bug fixes

• Fixed a bug that caused KITT to occasionally speak just before the dashboard start-up sequence if the car was set to ‘Presentation Mode’.
• Fixed a bug that caused KITT to occasionally speak just before the dashboard start-up sequence if the current monitor animation has associated audio.
• Fixed a bug where some LEDs on KITT’s scanner would remain lit after shut-down if the scanner was in ‘peak meter’ or ‘Disco’ mode.
• Fixed a bug where KITT’s voice box LED would sometimes activate when the shutdown sequence audio is played.
• Fixed a bug that caused the driving mode indicators to sometimes incorrectly display 2 modes when presentation mode was started.
• Corrected some code that was incorrectly dimming the Power indicator on the lower dash when ‘Presentation mode’ was started.
• Corrected some code to prevent the Fuel level and Gauge animations from starting before the Dash Start-up routine had completed.
• Corrected error in music list array creation that was causing music lists to be played in reverse order.
• Fixed a bug that failed to stow headlights during startup when headlights set to off and lights were left in the up position.