Hello. Excuse me if this isn't the right place to ask. So i want to creat an RC autonomous car and i was wondering if it's possible to turn those small toy cars that are controlled with a remote control into an rc car so that i won't have to get the car chassis and motors and all that. So will it be possible to get a remote control toy car and take everything from it except the motors and wheels and then place the arduino on top of it in order to have an auto driving RC car?
Thank you
In theory YES. But you have not told us the size of the car and it would be quite a challenge to fit the components into some of the small cars.
You can create a very capable low-cost Arduino based R/C system using a pair of nRF24L01+ transceivers. I am using them for 00 Gauge model trains.
Thanks for the answer.
Well the thing is i have a ''downloaded'' code that am willing to implement and getting those arduino chassis cars means i'll have to write a new code for the car to control it's directions (more speed on the right front wheel motor than the one on the left to turn right for example) so in order to avoid this i was thinking about getting that car. i havent thought about the size yet but i guess it must be a big one since am putting both an arduino and a raspberry pi on it.
The seller recomended this to me actually and i have no idea where to start.
you want to tear up a toy R/C car to make a toy R/C car with an arduino to control it... yes, possible,,, wastefull, but possible.
then you want it to become autonomous with the arduino in control,,, gonna need an awfully BIG arduino and a lot of sensors......
123Splat:
you want to tear up a toy R/C car to make a toy R/C car with an arduino to control it... yes, possible,,, wastefull, but possible.then you want it to become autonomous with the arduino in control,,, gonna need an awfully BIG arduino and a lot of sensors......
Well yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Let's just say that after tearing up the toy car and placing the raspberry/arduino on top of it, the motors couldnt handle all that weight. will i be able to add new motors or replace the motors that are already in it with stronger ones? or will it be easier to get the arduino car chassis and just program it to change directions?
regarding the price, the arduino chassis is more expensive than the toy
I used to work for a government agency. you have not heard of it. We needed a way to inspect tunnels after a bomb went off in them. An Air Force E8 was tasked with building it.
he bought the biggest RC truck chassis at Tower Hobbies, and redesigned it for wireless network control. it ended up being a $60,000 toy truck, most of that some very exotic cameras and gas sensors. it worked for many years.
the GSA freaked, guy spending thousands at Tower Hobby with a government P card. Colonels and Generals and people with multiple PhDs told the GSA that it was necessary for national security, which was true.
The E8 got a GS12 job as a result of this project.
So pay no attention to people who don't get it. Don't let their problem become your problem.
Thank you for your answers.
Well i dont know if this is appropriate to ask, if it is it'll be of great help if you could tell me if this code would work with the arduino car chassis without any modifications or will i need an extra code to control directions. Excuse me but i have basicly no knowledge nor time to learn as am having a tight deadline
Sofianesfa:
Thanks for the answer.
Well the thing is i have a ''downloaded'' code that am willing to implement and getting those arduino chassis cars means
Why won't you tell us exactly what car you want to work with?
Without knowing that this is a typical XY problem
...R
Well that's because i have no idea lol.I'd prefer working with the arduino chassis, this one, but i dont want to write any extra code that's why i've been thinking about the toy car, and if that's the case then i dont have a model in mind am just thinking about going to a toy store and ask what they have
What is the RPi for?
What 'toy car'..??
I'm not following what the difference is between this 'toy car'.. and a this 'arduino chassis'??
Both have wheels...yes?
Both have motors.....yes?
xl97:
What is the RPi for?What 'toy car'..??
I'm not following what the difference is between this 'toy car'.. and a this 'arduino chassis'??
Both have wheels...yes?
Both have motors.....yes?
The raspberry is used for image processing as the car is programmed to respect stop sign-lights.
I havent decided about the toy car yet and that's why am here trying to get some help as if there is some special requirements that i should look for and what concerns me most is if the toy car would be able to move whith all that extra weight on it from the RPI and the arduino.
The difference between the two is that the toy car's front wheels are able to turn which means i can simply program it with my arduino to change it from a remote control car to an auto drive car, whereas with the arduino chassis the front wheels dont turn so i have to write a new code, for example if i want the car to turn right i have to program it so that the speed in the motor of the front right wheel is higher than the speed of the motor in the up left wheel which will cause the car to turn and am trying to avoid any extra work so i was wondering if it's as simple as i explained it or not because that's how i understood it atleast.
and yes both of them have wheels and motors except for the difference i mentioned above.
You dont NEED to have that specific kit..
I have seen many kits over the years..
The only difference would be an additional servo to make the 'turning'.....
- And nobody can comment about the weight of the RPi (and extras) on a 'toy car' that only exists in ones imagination.
Pick a car... post a link.. THEN ask that same question.
You cant endorse or deny a 'toy car' that doesnt exist.
If I were choosing a toy car to use for this project, I would want one with a proportional steering servo.
Many toy cars do not have this. They have a 3 position steering mechanism. Straight, full left and full right.
This is not a steering mechanism that lends itself to accurate navigation.
From the github
This project builds a self-driving RC car using Raspberry Pi, Arduino and open source software. Raspberry Pi collects inputs from a camera module and an ultrasonic sensor, and sends data to a computer wirelessly. The computer processes input images and sensor data for object detection (stop sign and traffic light) and collision avoidance respectively. A neural network model runs on computer and makes predictions for steering based on input images. Predictions are then sent to the Arduino for RC car control.
So that is op his idea.
Sofianesfa what is your question actually what do you want to know? You ask: So will it be possible to get a remote control toy car and take everything from it except the motors and wheels and then place the arduino on top of it in order to have an auto driving RC car?
You have seen it is possible right? That github page has a youtube video
xl97:
You dont NEED to have that specific kit..I have seen many kits over the years..
The only difference would be an additional servo to make the 'turning'.....
- And nobody can comment about the weight of the RPi (and extras) on a 'toy car' that only exists in ones imagination.
Pick a car... post a link.. THEN ask that same question.
You cant endorse or deny a 'toy car' that doesnt exist.
Well am not much familiar with the tools nor the codes, the kit i posted is the only one that's available for me in here. So are you saying that i can modify that one using a servo motor? an additional code will be required right?
And yeah i couldnt agree more with you but i was wondering if the whole idea of using a toy car is possible and what if i get an X module toy and then the car gets overweighted will i be able to change the motors that came with the toy or add new ones without affecting it? It seems like even i am not sure of what i want lol am really sorry but thats what am wondering right now.
Okey now am feeling dumb as i couldnt even understand myself lol so i want to appologies to anyone reading this. My final question is that the only kit that i can get my hand on is this so will it be better to get this one and add a servomotor or a new program to it (i still didnt get the whole idea yet) or just get a toy car and tear it apart.
My appologies again.
I dont think that particular kit can be mod'd to have a servo/steering type solution applied (hard to say, because I dont have one).. but being made out of acrylic?.. it's probably not too forgiving.
In the end, the 'chassis' itself means nothing.. its up to you decide what is best for you and your project (and skills)..
either chassis you pick will need to be of the size and strength to hold your other components.. so if you get a bigger RC car and not some micro/tiny RC car... then it should have any problems supporting the weight.
Plenty of pre-made 'chassis' as well..
first google results:
again... the chassis is up to you..
if you need one with steering.. then get whatever chassis has front servo steering options you like...
If you need to get new code, [I doubt you are the only/first person to ever have tackled this type of project. (and probably shared code), then search around and see who else has posted on this same topic 
For a car that size you could easily cut the chassis from a piece of hardboard or plywood with a jigsaw and glue a couple of those motors to it for propulsion.
Making the steering mechanism would be a little more tricky but you should be able to make something effective from pieces of bent coat-hanger-wire. If you are content to make a tricycle chassis the steering would be much easier.
...R