Oct 27, 2016 04:37 AM EDT By Noi Ramirez, UniversityHerald Reporter

"Knight Rider" is coming back in a new digital series with director Justin Lin who was behind this year's "Star Trek Beyond" and four of the "Fast and the Furious" films taking the helm.

The 1980's NBC series made David Hasselhoff a star who played Michael Knight alongside a sentient AI driven Pontiac Firebird Trans Am the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT). Lin and his production company, YOMYOMF, is collaborating with YouTube giant Machinima and NBCUniversal to reboot the 1980s series for a possible 2017 digital platform launch, according to CBSNews.

Machinima CEO Chad Gutstein said that "Knight Rider" is an iconic franchise whose concept of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous vehicles is considered science fiction in the 1980s are now science fact. He also said that they are excited to work with Lin in invigorating Knight Rider for a new generation of fans.

According to Gizmondo, the new take on the tale of an AI equipped sports car and its crime-fighting driver will be in the form of a digital series. Glen A. Larson created the original "Knight Rider," which had a series run from 1982 to 1986 spawning several spin-offs and updates since its inception. "Knight Rider" the digital series is currently in development and is slated for a possible launch in 2017.

Spin-offs and sequels of "Knight Rider" included a 1991 TV Movie sequel, a made-for-TV movie in 1994, and a spin-off TV series that lasted for only one season. In a more recent reboot was a 2008 TV series, which unfortunately was canceled after one season.

The 2008 version of "Knight Rider," KITT, now as the Knight Industries Three Thousand is a Ford Shelby Cobra GT500KR and Val Kilmer voiced its AI. KITT is equipped with advanced nano skin that not only can deflect bullets and crash damage like the original Pontiac TransAm, but it also has the ability to "morph" the vehicle's physical appearance altogether.

Lin also signed recently to direct Hot Wheels based on Mattel's popular toy line.

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