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 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.

Build was straightforward. One complaint their Lego compatible pieces have sloppy tolerances (too loose). Their support is excellent, even helped with some code.

Once it was assembled I found the batteries were not getting to the board. It was just a bad solder joint. I was doing some voltage test and put the probe between the battery connection and the main board and it started. I had an issue with the camera and 1 servo both were shipped and now both work.

Overall, I am really happy with this kit. It has an unexpected number of components. I love that. One warning would be to be very careful with the camera connections. The camera connection opens by lifting the black flap up, vertically from the esp board. I managed to break the white tab holding the black flap in place. The white plastic is not only small, but also fragile. I recommend reading through each section before actually installing the pieces of that section. I’ll also say that the code examples provided in the tutorial explain how to do things really well. Do notice that the batteries recommended for the kit are NOT included. Freenove recommends buying batteries from the links they provide in the downloadable tutorial. For reference, I spent less than $35 to get 4 batteries and a charger.

The MG90 servos that came in my kit had a terrible problem with jitter. I send Freenove support a video clip of the issue and they sent two replacements that were identical to the ones that were in the kit. They also had the jitter issue. I purchased some MG90S servos that have the label "Tower Pro". I replaced the ones that came in the Freenove kit (and that customer support sent) with them and the issue went away. It appears to me that the servos from Freenove have a flaw of some sort.

The 4 Wheel Smart Car using the ESP32 is the best solution for getting experience with Arduino networks. WIFI and BLE are supported without any additional cost. Developing skills with the Arduino, Processing, and Python IDEs is supported by the included lessons. The ESP32 is the key component that makes the 4 Wheel ESP32 Smart Car a valuable experience for IOT and Robotics programming. Addition features are the builtin ESP32 CAM and the Android App for remote control. This product is an excellent kit for building Remote Controlled Video Cars. The documentation can be downloaded from the FREENOVE site for review before making a purchase. Customer service is excellent. A. Williams

A Fun time for all building and programing... Don't skip any of the examples as they ALL are valuable. Take your time, you'll have more fun as you see what each part of the car can do.

I have assembled a few Raspberry pi and Arduino robots, but I never thought I would get my hands on an ESP32 robot kit! I am not new to ESP32, and I have used them for a few IoT projects. Now, I have built a fun robot car with ESP32! I highly recommend anyone who wants to learn about robotic and IoT with this great Freenove ESP32 4WD Car Kit.

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.

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

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.