Arduino RC car wont work, plz plz help

Projects General Guidance
1

The transmitter code works good and we can receive values on the receiver end. When we add in the cases for how the motors will respond to the input it will get stuck in one of the loops and fail to receive other values. The photoresistor also doesn't work with the transmitter. If there is a way to change cases while getting the photoresistor to work that'd be awesome! Here is the code for the Transmitter:



#include <RH_ASK.h>
#include <SPI.h>

RH_ASK rf_driver;

const int JoyYpin = A1;
const int JoyXpin = A0;
int JoyY;
int JoyX;

void setup() {
rf_driver.init();

Serial.begin(9600);

} 

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:

 JoyY = analogRead(JoyYpin);
 JoyX = analogRead(JoyXpin);


//STRAIGHT FORWARD
 if (JoyY>600 && 600>JoyX && JoyX>400){
const char *msg = "A";
rf_driver.send((uint8_t*)msg, strlen(msg));
rf_driver.waitPacketSent();
delay(500);
 }

//STRAIGHT BACKWARD
 else if (JoyY<400 && 600>JoyX && JoyX>400){
 const char *msg = "B";
 rf_driver.send((uint8_t*)msg, strlen(msg));
rf_driver.waitPacketSent();
delay(500);
 }

//FORWARD RIGHT
 else if (JoyY>600 && JoyX<400){
const char *msg = "C";
rf_driver.send((uint8_t*)msg, strlen(msg));
rf_driver.waitPacketSent();
delay(500);
 }

//FORWARD LEFT
 else if (JoyY>600 && JoyX>600){
const char *msg = "D";
rf_driver.send((uint8_t*)msg, strlen(msg));
rf_driver.waitPacketSent();
delay(500);
 }

//BACKWARD LEFT
 else if (JoyY<400 && JoyX>600){
const char *msg = "E";
rf_driver.send((uint8_t*)msg, strlen(msg));
rf_driver.waitPacketSent();
delay(500);
 }

//BACKWARD RIGHT
 else if (JoyY<400 && JoyX<400){
const char *msg = "F";
rf_driver.send((uint8_t*)msg, strlen(msg));
rf_driver.waitPacketSent();
delay(500);
 }

//DO NOTHING 
 else{
 const char *msg = "X";
 rf_driver.send((uint8_t*)msg, strlen(msg));
rf_driver.waitPacketSent();
delay(500);
 }

}

Here is the Code for the receiver:

#include <ServoTimer2.h>
#include <RH_ASK.h>
#include <SPI.h>

// Ask Driver
RH_ASK rf_driver;

// Setup Horn + Interrupt function
const int Horn = 7;

void Horned() {
  digitalWrite(Horn, HIGH);
}

// Setup the DC Motor
const int EN = 5;   // Half Bridge enable
const int MC1 = 4;  // Motor Control 1
const int MC2 = 3;  // Motor Control 2
int motorSpeed;

// Functions for Motor
void Forward() {
  digitalWrite(EN, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(MC1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(MC2, LOW);
}

void Backwards() {
  digitalWrite(EN, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(MC1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(MC2, HIGH);
}

void STOP() {
  digitalWrite(EN, LOW);
  digitalWrite(MC1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(MC2, LOW);
}

// Photoresistor
int LightPin = A0;

// headlights + Function
int Headlights = 9;

void LightsOn() {
  digitalWrite(Headlights, HIGH);
}

void LightsOff() {
  digitalWrite(Headlights, LOW);
}

//Setup for Servo Motor + Function for Right and Left
ServoTimer2 servo1;
int position = 90;

//Setup functions for Turning
void Left() {
  servo1.write(0);
}

void Right() {
  servo1.write(180);
}

void setup() {
  //Ask Driver
  rf_driver.init();

  // Setup DC Motor
  pinMode(EN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MC1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MC2, OUTPUT);

  // Setup LEDs
  pinMode(Headlights, OUTPUT);

  //Setup Horn Horn
  pinMode(Horn, OUTPUT);

  // Setup Servo Pins
  servo1.attach(10);

  // Interrupt for Horn
  attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(Horn), Horned, RISING);

  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {

  uint8_t buf[1];
  uint8_t buflen = sizeof(buf);

  // Photosensor
  int Light_Reading = analogRead(LightPin);

  if (Light_Reading < 500) {
    LightsOn();
  }

  else {
    LightsOff();
  }

  //Receive message from transmitter
  if (rf_driver.recv(buf, &buflen)) {
    Serial.println((char*)buf);
    // Control DC Motor and Sterring
    if (buf[0] == 'A') {  // Foward Control with not turning
      Forward();
    }
    else if (buf[0] == 'C') {  // Forward and Turn Right
      Forward();
      Right();
    }
    else if (buf[0] == 'D') {  // Forward and Turn Left
      Forward();
      Left();
    }
    else if (buf[0] == 'B') {  // Backwards Control with not Turning
      Backwards();
    }
    else if (buf[0] == 'E') {  // Backwards and Right
      Right();
      Backwards();
    }
    else if (buf[0] == 'F') {  // Forward and Turn Left
      Backwards();
      Left();
    }
    else {  // Forward and Turn Left
      STOP(); 
    }
  }
}
2

Did you mean receiver? The lights on/off code is part of the receiver. Did you try a smaller, separate sketch to only test out the photoresistor? Have it just print out the value you are reading from the A0 to verify it is working. Then, worry about putting it into your project code.

Also, as written, you have no way to turn your horn off once activated - probably a bad idea :slight_smile:

3

Everything works separately, the lights with the photo resistor work when isolated. Our problem right now is with our receiver. Our transmitted characters are received and when we just serial print them it works but once we try and drive motors based on transmitted characters, it gets stuck and wont accept any new characters.

4

You have no debug print that verifies the function. Take care of that! What is sent and what's received is the base for future action.

5

Schematics please. A guess is missing free wheel diodes.

7

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