When a detective is double crossed by a trusted informant, he is believed to have been killed. In reality, he learns that his face has been surgically altered and his identity has become "Michael Knight".
Wilton Knight, a dying billionaire who, convinced that one man can make a difference, has selected Michael for the role as a crime-fighting champion of right.
He is given an advanced car named K.I.T.T. which has a molecular bonded shell nearly impervious to damage, capable of speeds over 200 MPH, and contains an artificial intelligence computer.
Michael agrees to perform his assigned role in order to save the world from disaster and discovers along the way that there are important ideals other then revenge worth fighting for.