FREENOVE 4WD Car Kit for ESP32 CAM (Included), Dual-core 32-bit 240 MHz Microcontroller, Camera, Dot Matrix, Obstacle Avoidance, Line Tracking, Light Tracing, Colorful Light, App

This robot is an evolution of previous Freenove robots I have used, in that it is based around one large circuit board (PCB), which incorporates all of the features such as LEDs, batteries etc. This makes it easier to build. It is based on the ESP32 which is included and given how expensive the Raspberry Pi, which previous robots were based on now is, this is a welcome improvement and it keeps the cost down. The ESP32 requires the use of the Arduino IDE a development environment, which can be downloaded easily. It's not difficult but you may need to familiarise yourself with how Arduino works, if you are coming from no prior knowledge as it is a little different to Raspberry Pi. My 6-year-old and I built it together. He is a careful and patient child. The setup of the software is simple by following the instructions, but for the younger ones, a good deal of parental help will be required. A switched-on 10-year-old would manage with minimal help if they were into computers/robots. It has and LED face which can display many different patterns which makes it rather cute. If I have only one improvement, it is that the servos that operate the head, are a little sub-optimal and sometimes "flutter" a bit. I have in the past bought higher quality microservos and used them instead, they are a direct swap. I can see why these higher quality servos aren't included they would increase the price by £10 or so. A lot of fun and a good introduction to Arduino and ESP32.

Because the chassis plate is a printed circuit with mounted components, unlike other bots with a HAT, there is no scope for adding sensors or adapting. Like all such robotics cars, the software is also basic and development to amazing isn't possible. Well engineered but not much use at any level.

Doesn't work when you try to download product i information my computer rejects it due to unsafe download.

Very fiddley to work on the face ,but doable . no instructions you have to go online and to find the right instructions takes longer than building the car. Also does not come with batteries and the ones the tell you to get are hard to find on the net.(I still have not found them!) I have given it one star, because it will not work until I can find batteries. The idea is good and teaching programming with the add-on bits sounds like a way to learn. But! If they are easy to find. And if it works

Il kit è bello e facile da costruire. Ha varie possibilità di controllo e soprattutto di programmazione. Un bel esercizio di meccanica e ha possibilità di espansione e personalizzazione tramite la piattaforma Arduino. Lo consiglio perchè attraverso il gioco si porta il ragazzo, di almeno 10, a scoprire questo bellissimo mondo. Lo consiglio vivamente. Non ho messo il massimo di stelle per problemi con alcuni pezzi che comunque l'assistenza (in inglese come il manuale) ha prontamente risolto.

I am a guy who likes to build things for fun and to continue learning new tricks. Having recently received the Freenove-AU car kit, I must say it has exceeded all my expectations. The moment I downloaded the documentation file from their GitHub, I knew I was in for something extraordinary. This kit has taken the concept of DIY kits to a whole new level, and I couldn't be more thrilled. This kit is not just a simple toy; it is more of an educational journey into the world of robotics. If you're looking for a ready-to-use toy, this might not be the right fit. However, if you're eager to dive into the world of microcontrollers, sensors, and coding, this kit is an absolute gem. The product description clearly states that batteries are not included, but you can easily find the required 18650, flat top, unprotected batteries on platforms like eBay or Amazon, or even at local battery stores. The kit's features are mind-blowing, from Infra Red and WiFi control to camera live feed and collision avoidance, along with light and line tracking systems. It's one of the best purchases I've made, and the quality is evident in its design and construction. For those who have some experience with microcontrollers, you'll find the assembly and coding process quite easy, and it will undoubtedly captivate your interest. However, even if you're new to the world of MCUs, don't worry! This kit provides an ideal opportunity to dive into this fascinating domain and explore the potential of these new-age chips. All the programming codes are included and can be customized as per your liking. Freenove has set a new standard with this and other similar robotics kits. The documentation is incredibly easy tofollow and thorough, with data sheets and information for each sensor and external device included in the kit. It's rare to come across such a complete and well-documented kit in the market. As you progress through the assembly steps and follow the accompanying code explanations, you'll find yourself engrossed in the process, eagerly anticipating the next stage. This kit takes the entire kit-building experience to a whole new level, and I can't recommend it enough. Whether you're a seasoned robotics enthusiast or a curious beginner, the ESP32 Remote Controlled 4WD Car Kit from Freenove promises an exciting and enriching electronic and kit-building experience that will undoubtedly expand your robotic skills and leave you with a profound sense of satisfaction. Kudos to Freenove and the team for a job well done.

This robot car is easy to assemble, taking me about 2~3 hours. I contacted the customer support for some issue about installing the ch340 driver and got the answer overnight. (A little detail about this issue. For my PC, the driver can't be installed by windows automatically. They sent me a link to download it.) They have lots of codes online to demonstrate the use of all the functional blocks such as motors, servos, camera, wifi communication, etc. They also give plenty of explanation for their code. Very convenient. I bought this kit not for learning coding or just for fun. I actually try to use this kit for a machine learning project. What I want from the micro-controller is not the computing power, but the ability to send the senor information (including the camera images) to a PC where I run a python code to process the information, and to receive the control commands such as "start, stop, turn, ..." from the PC. For this reason, I didn't choose a kit with Raspberry Pi. An 8Gb Raspberry Pi costs more than $70 and still doesn't have enough processing power for any serious ML project. ESP32 is good enough for the communication purpose. I'm not a professional programmer so I'm still in the process of figuring out the provided tutorial codes to use them for my own purpose. So far, I think I can get what I need from these codes. In summary, I think it's a low cost, very useful and convenient kit not only for fun or learning coding, but also for more serious uses such as in a robotics, computer vision, or machine learning project. I would suggest Freenove to provide tutorial codes even more directly targeting the latter uses, where people would like to spend more time trying their algorithms (running on a PC) on this kit and less time programming the kit.

The machinery parts (Brass standoffs, screws) were not included in the package. I had to search and buy each part separately.

Superbe voiture Arduino. Seul petit inconvinient c'est qu'il achter les batteries et un chargeur en plus