Before Tesla existed, there was KITT: a talking, self-driving Pontiac Trans Am that argued with its owner and scanned for trouble with a sweeping red light. Knight Rider premiered on NBC in 1982, and the scanner sound built into KITT's dashboard became one of the most recognizable pieces of sci-fi car audio ever made. A Tesla with an AI-driven lock chime that borrows from the original AI car isn't a stretch. It's the obvious move.
Two versions of the KITT scanner sound are in the library, both free, both formatted as LockChime.wav and ready to install.
The scanner is the slow, pulsing red light that swept left to right across KITT's hood, paired with a rhythmic electronic tone. In the show it meant KITT was actively processing: scanning the road, checking for threats, thinking. The sound design was simple by modern standards (mostly synthesized sweeps and pulses) but it did exactly what it needed to: it made a car feel alive.
That's also the entire pitch behind a custom Tesla lock chime. You're not just locking a car. You're giving it a voice.
The sweeping scanner tone: red light pulses left, pulses right, confirms the perimeter is clear. It's the more minimal of the two versions in the library: a clean, repeating electronic sweep without dialogue or extra layers.
Download KITT Scanner →
The fuller version of the scanning sound, pulled from the same NBC broadcast era. Same scanning concept, slightly more texture in the sweep. If the first version felt too sparse, this one adds a bit more body without turning into a different sound entirely.
Download Knight Rider KITT Scanner →
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The scanner tone wasn't designed for surround sound or streaming quality. It was built to read clearly through a small TV speaker, at a distance, over a title sequence. It is also a simple, steady sweep, which makes it easy to recognize.
There's also the obvious connection: KITT was a fictional AI-augmented car decades before that was a real category of vehicle. Installing the scanner sound on a Tesla points at what Knight Rider was guessing about in 1982, and that guess is now parked in the driveway.
Both downloads above are already formatted as LockChime.wav, ready for USB install. No conversion needed.
- Download the KITT scanner sound (one click, no account)
- Create the folder: put
LockChime.wav inside a Boombox folder at the root of a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive, so the path reads Boombox/LockChime.wav - Plug in the drive to a USB port that carries data
- Select it: go to Toybox → Boombox → Lock Sound, choose USB, and pick your file
- Lock the car and listen for the sweep
Full walkthrough with screenshots: Tesla Lock Sound Installation Guide →
If the KITT scanner is your speed, the Tesla & EV category has more sounds built around the idea of a car with a personality: robot chimes, arc reactor hums, and other machine-voice effects. The sci-fi & futuristic collection and retro tech collection round out the rest of the "your car is thinking" genre.
Want the Jarvis and Iron Man angle instead? See our Iron Man & Jarvis lock sounds roundup. Prefer a real car over a fictional AI? The General Lee's Dixie horn from Dukes of Hazzard is the same era of TV, a different kind of icon.
What show is the KITT scanner sound from?
Knight Rider, the NBC series that ran from 1982 to 1986. KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand) was a self-aware, self-driving Pontiac Trans Am, and the scanning red light with its accompanying tone was one of the show's signature effects.
Is the KITT scanner sound free to download?
Yes. Both versions on this page are free LockChime.wav downloads, no account required.
Which KITT scanner version should I pick?
KITT Scanner is the more minimal, cleaner sweep.
Knight Rider KITT Scanner has slightly more texture. Either works on any Tesla model; it's a matter of taste.
Will this work on Cybertruck?
Yes. Every sound on this site downloads as a properly formatted LockChime.wav file that works across Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck.
Do I need to convert the file first?
No. The download is already a WAV file named LockChime.wav, formatted to Tesla-compatible spec. Drop it straight into the Boombox folder on your USB drive.
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Browse the full sound library → for 2,290+ more free lock sounds, or check the installation guide if this is your first time setting up a custom lock chime.