Sly, from Cardini, poses with his car "Sit."

One of three computers installed on "Sit."

Going only by “Sly” on his business card, Cardini’s vehicle electronics expert slinks around a black-and-orange trimmed convertible sports car parked in the Cardini stand at Autopromotec, held last week in Bologna, Italy. Using a Bluetooth headset and his cell phone, Sly banters with his vehicle named “Sit” – a wink to “Kit” from the TV show “Knight Rider.”

However, Sit insists he’s much cuter and more capable than Kit could ever be. Yes, you heard me right – this is a car with a few opinions. In fact, Sit is a fully functional, real-world iteration of the vehicle Knight Rider creators only dreamed of in the 1980s television show. The real-life “Sit” boasts three on-board computers (one in the carriage and two in the door) with 46 software programs that can complete thousands of tasks.

It took Sly roughly 5,000 hours to create the “Sit” of his dreams. The car can self-park and conduct diagnostic tests, as well as start the engine all via cell phone. The security system will alert the vehicle owner via cell phone if someone is touching the vehicle, at which point it will call the vehicle on a mobile speaker so that the owner can speak directly to the perpetrators. It will then also kick on security measures. The car can respond to any request and even cracks jokes. 

Sly said he built the vehicle to demonstrate the vast amount of electronic capabilities available for vehicles on the road today.

Cardini, which is based in Luca in the Tuscany region of Italy, has been in business since 1952. A leader in engine heads, the company produces clutches, engines, pumps, radiators and cooling systems, and is a member of FIR – the Italian Federation of Rectifiers, Car Repairmen and Engine Rebuilders.

Cardini was one of approximately 1,473 exhibitors from all over the globe at this year's Autopromotec, the 24th biennial exhibition of automotive equipment and aftermarket products.