ESP32 - Car

One of the coolest things to try if you're just starting with ESP32 is making a robot car. In this guide, we'll learn how to use ESP32 to build a robot car and control it with a IR remote control. For controlling the robot car via Web (Wifi), see ESP32 controls Car via Web tutorial.

Hardware Used In This Tutorial

1	×	ESP-WROOM-32 Dev Module
1	×	USB Cable Type-C
1	×	2WD RC Car
1	×	L298N Motor Driver Module
1	×	IR Remote Controller Kit
1	×	CR2025 Battery (for IR Remote controller)
1	×	1.5V AA Battery (for ESP32 and Car)
1	×	Jumper Wires
1	×	Breadboard
1	×	(Recommended) ESP32 Screw Terminal Adapter

Or you can buy the following sensor kits:

1	×	DIYables Sensor Kit (30 sensors/displays)
1	×	DIYables Sensor Kit (18 sensors/displays)

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Introduction to Robot Car

In the ESP32 context, the robot car is often called by different names like robot car, RC car, remote control car, smart car, or DIY car. It can be controlled from a distance without any wires. You can use either a special remote control that uses infrared light or a smartphone app through Bluetooth or WiFi. The robot car can go left or right and also go forward or backward.

A 2WD (Two-Wheel Drive) car for ESP32 is a small robotic vehicle that you can build and control using an ESP32 board. It typically consists of the following components:

Chassis: The base or frame of the car,where all other components are mounted.
Wheels: The two wheels that provide locomotion to the car. They are attached to two DC motor.
Motors: Two DC motors are used to drive the two wheels.
Motor Driver: The motor driver board is an essential component that interfaces between the ESP32 and the motors. It takes signals from the ESP32 and provides the necessary power and control to the motors.
ESP32 Board: The brain of the car. It reads inputs from sensors and user commands and controls the motors accordingly.
Power Source: The 2WD car requires a power source, usually batteries and a battery holder, to power the motors and the ESP32 board.
Wireless receiver: an infrared, Bluetooth or WiFi module for wireless communication with a remote control or smartphone.
Optional Components: Depending on your project's complexity, you may add various optional components like sensors (e.g., ultrasonic sensors for obstacle avoidance, line-following sensors), and more.

In this tutorial, to make it simple, we will use:

2WD Car kit (including Chassis, wheels, motors, battery holder)
L298N Motor Driver
IR infrared kit (including IR controller and IR receiver)

Check the hardware list at the top of this page.

How It Works

ESP32 connects to the DC motors of the robot car through L298N motor driver module.
ESP32 connects to an IR receiver.
The battery powers ESP32, DC motors, motor driver, and IR receiver.
Users press the UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT/OK keys on the IR remote controller.
ESP32 receives the UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT/OK commands through the IR receiver.
ESP32 controls the car to move FORWARD/BACKWARD/LEFT/RIGHT/STOP by controlling the DC motor via the motor driver.

Wiring Diagram

This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image

If you're unfamiliar with how to supply power to the ESP32 and other components, you can find guidance in the following tutorial: How to Power ESP32.

Usually, It requires two sources of power:

One for the motor (indirectly through the L298N module).
Another for the ESP32 board, the L298N module, and the IR receiver.

However, there's a method to simplify this by using only one power source for everything. You can achieve this by using four 1.5V batteries (totaling 6V). Here's how you can do it:

Connect the batteries to the L298N module as shown in the diagram.
Remove two jumpers that connect the ENA and ENB pins to 5 volts on the L298N module.
Place a jumper labeled 5VEN, which is marked with a yellow circle on the diagram.
Connect the 12V pin on the screw terminal of the L298N module to the Vin pin on the ESP32 board. This provides power to the ESP32 directly from batteries (6V).

ESP32 Code

/* * This ESP32 code is created by esp32io.com * * This ESP32 code is released in the public domain * * For more detail (instruction and wiring diagram), visit https://esp32io.com/tutorials/esp32-car */ #include <DIYables_IRcontroller.h> // IR Remote Controller library #define IR_RECEIVER_PIN 13 // The ESP32 pin GPIO13 connected to IR receiver #define ENA_PIN 14 // The ESP32 pin GPIO14 connected to the ENA pin L298N #define IN1_PIN 27 // The ESP32 pin GPIO27 connected to the IN1 pin L298N #define IN2_PIN 26 // The ESP32 pin GPIO26 connected to the IN2 pin L298N #define IN3_PIN 25 // The ESP32 pin GPIO25 connected to the IN3 pin L298N #define IN4_PIN 33 // The ESP32 pin GPIO33 connected to the IN4 pin L298N #define ENB_PIN 32 // The ESP32 pin GPIO32 connected to the ENB pin L298N DIYables_IRcontroller_17 irController(IR_RECEIVER_PIN, 200); // debounce time is 200ms void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); irController.begin(); pinMode(ENA_PIN, OUTPUT); pinMode(IN1_PIN, OUTPUT); pinMode(IN2_PIN, OUTPUT); pinMode(IN3_PIN, OUTPUT); pinMode(IN4_PIN, OUTPUT); pinMode(ENB_PIN, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(ENA_PIN, HIGH); // set full speed digitalWrite(ENB_PIN, HIGH); // set full speed } void loop() { Key17 key = irController.getKey(); if (key != Key17::NONE) { switch (key) { case Key17::KEY_UP: Serial.println("CAR - MOVING FORWARD"); CAR_moveForward(); break; case Key17::KEY_DOWN: Serial.println("CAR - MOVING BACKWARD"); CAR_moveBackward(); break; case Key17::KEY_LEFT: Serial.println("CAR - TURNING LEFT"); CAR_turnLeft(); break; case Key17::KEY_RIGHT: Serial.println("CAR - TURNING RIGHT"); CAR_turnRight(); break; case Key17::KEY_OK: Serial.println("CAR - STOP"); CAR_stop(); break; default: Serial.println("WARNING: unused key:"); break; } } } void CAR_moveForward() { digitalWrite(IN1_PIN, HIGH); digitalWrite(IN2_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN3_PIN, HIGH); digitalWrite(IN4_PIN, LOW); } void CAR_moveBackward() { digitalWrite(IN1_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN2_PIN, HIGH); digitalWrite(IN3_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN4_PIN, HIGH); } void CAR_turnLeft() { digitalWrite(IN1_PIN, HIGH); digitalWrite(IN2_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN3_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN4_PIN, LOW); } void CAR_turnRight() { digitalWrite(IN1_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN2_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN3_PIN, HIGH); digitalWrite(IN4_PIN, LOW); } void CAR_stop() { digitalWrite(IN1_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN2_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN3_PIN, LOW); digitalWrite(IN4_PIN, LOW); }

Quick Instructions

If this is the first time you use ESP32, see how to setup environment for ESP32 on Arduino IDE.
Install DIYables_IRcontroller library on Arduino IDE by following this instruction
Do the wiring as the diagram shown above.
Disconnect the wire from the Vin on the ESP32 because we will power ESP32 via USB cable when uploading code.
Flip the car upside down so that the wheels are on top.
Connect the ESP32 board to your PC via a micro USB cable
Open Arduino IDE on your PC.
Select the right ESP32 board (e.g. ESP32 Dev Module) and COM port.
Copy the provided code and open it in the Arduino IDE.
Click the Upload button in the Arduino IDE to transfer the code to the ESP32.
Use the IR remote controller to make the car go forward, backward, left, right, or stop.
Check if the wheels move correctly according to your commands.
If the wheels move the wrong way, swap the wires of the DC motor on the L298N module.
You can also see the results on the Serial Monitor in the Arduino IDE.

COM6

Send

CAR - MOVING FORWARD CAR - MOVING BACKWARD CAR - TURNING LEFT CAR - TURNING RIGHT CAR - STOP

Autoscroll Show timestamp

Clear output

9600 baud

Newline

If everything is going well, unplug the USB cable from the ESP32, and then connect the wire back into the Vin 5V pin. This will give power to the ESP32 from the battery.
Flip the car back to its normal position with the wheels on the ground.
Have fun controlling the car!

Code Explanation

Read the line-by-line explanation in comment lines of code!

You can learn more about the code by checking the following tutorials:

ESP32 - Infrared Remote Control tutorial
ESP32 - DC motor tutorial

You can extend this project by:

Adding obstacle avoidance sensors to immidilately stop the car if an obstacle is detected.
Adding function to control the speed of car (see ESP32 - DC motor tutorial). The provided code controls car with full speed.

Video Tutorial

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Learn More

ESP32 - Controls Car via Web

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