DIY Raspberry Pi RC Car: SunFounder's PiCar-V V2.0 Kit

The car is lightweight, weighing just above 1lb without a Raspberry Pi. It has everything you need to operate wirelessly and remotely using a variety of smart devices.

The kit comes with everything you need to build an RC car with a live video feed except for the Raspberry Pi, microSD card, and batteries. Here's a list of everything you can expect in the kit.

Package List:

• 1 Plate set
• 1 Robot HAT
• 1 PCA9685 PWM Driver
• 1 TB6612 Motor Driver
• 1 18650 Battery Holder (supports two batteries)
• 3 SunFounder SF006C Servos
• 1 120° Wide-angle USB Camera
• 2 Rear Wheels
• 2 Front Wheel
• 1 Ribbon (30cm)
• 1 Cross Screwdriver
• Multiple wires
• Multiple screws
• Multiple nuts
• Wrenches
• Standoffs

The kit includes a paper booklet with instructions for assembly. The process will vary slightly depending on the Raspberry Pi model you choose to use. You also need to provide your own microSD card and 18650 batteries for the car.

You can program the car using Python. SunFounder provides Python code to help you get started. Makers can also develop their own code using a program called Dragit, a drag-and-drop-based application that's easy to grasp for young developers.

Once the car is wired up and programmed, you're ready to rock and roll! To control the car, you can choose from a selection of tools. It can be operated from smartphones and tablets through the official app (which also works on PC). Using the Python code, you can also choose to operate it from anything with a web browser. It would be possible to build a custom web interface, hosted with Apache on the Raspberry Pi.

The PiCar-V Kit is one of many from SunFounder. You can pick yours up today on Amazon for just $99.99. If you want a kit with more sensors or a Raspberry Pi included, check out their inventory. You may appreciate the PiCar-S Kit which features ultrasonic sensors in lieu of the camera module.

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SunFounder PiCar-S Kit

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SunFounder PiCar-V Kit V2.0

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These kits aren't intended to replace existing RC cars, so don't expect to win any races with them. But they definitely fill the spot for a fun DIY learning experience.