An Arduino Nano or UNO board is the right start for a first robot car. The Nano runs an ATmega328P chip at 16 MHz and reads sensors on 8 analog pins. Pair it with an L298N motor driver and a simple two-wheel chassis. This guide shows the boards, drivers, sensors, and chassis that fit together.
Which microcontroller should a first robot car use?
Start with an Arduino Nano or an UNO R3 board. Both run the ATmega328P chip at 16 MHz, and both give you 8 analog inputs for sensors.
The Nano fits a small chassis because it is a compact board with USB-C. The UNO is larger, so it suits a bench test rig or a big chassis.
What does the L298N motor driver do?
The L298N drives two DC motors from one board. It takes direction and speed signals from the microcontroller and switches motor power on its own channels.
TT gear motors run on 3 to 6 V, and the L298N handles that range with ease. Wire one motor to each output, then feed the driver from the battery pack.
Which chassis fits a two-wheel robot car?
A two-wheel chassis with a caster wheel is the simple choice for a first robot. The smart robot car chassis kit ships with a speed encoder and a battery box.
A 4WD mecanum chassis with 60 mm omni wheels moves sideways as well as forward. It costs more and needs four motor channels, so save it for a second build.
Which sensors does a line follower need?
A TCRT5000 infrared line tracking module reads the dark line under the car. The 4-pack gives you spares, and each module outputs a simple digital signal.
Add an infrared obstacle avoidance sensor to stop the car before it hits a wall. A DHT22 temperature sensor and a PIR motion sensor add data logging and motion detection later.
How do you power a small robot car?
Four AA cells in the chassis battery box give about 6 V to the motors. The L298N board drops that to 5 V logic for the microcontroller through its onboard regulator.
A TP4056 charging module charges a single lithium cell at 1 A from a 5 V USB source. Never charge a lithium cell without a proper charging module.
What code runs the robot car?
The Arduino IDE compiles a sketch that reads the line sensors and sets motor speeds. The analogWrite function takes values from 0 to 255, and PWM runs near 490 Hz on most Arduino pins.
Start with a loop that reads two TCRT5000 modules and turns toward the dark line. Add the speed encoder later to measure distance in wheel counts.
Quick comparison
| Board | Chip | Clock | Logic | Analog inputs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arduino Nano | ATmega328P | 16 MHz | 5 V | 8 |
| UNO R3 | ATmega328P | 16 MHz | 5 V | 6 |
| RP2040 Pro Micro | RP2040 dual-core | 133 MHz | 3.3 V | 4 |
| ESP32 DevKit V1 | ESP32 | 240 MHz | 3.3 V | 18 |
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an ESP32 instead of an Arduino Nano for a robot car?
Yes. The ESP32 adds Wi-Fi on 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth, and it runs at up to 240 MHz. It uses 3.3 V logic, so check that your sensors and driver accept 3.3 V signals.
How many motors can one L298N drive?
One L298N drives two DC motors, or one stepper motor. A 4WD chassis needs two L298N boards, one per side.
Do I need a separate battery for the motors and the board?
No. One battery pack can feed both if the driver board has a 5 V regulator output. Keep motor wires away from sensor wires to cut electrical noise.
What is the RP2040 Pro Micro good for in robotics?
It gives dual-core processing at 133 MHz with 16 MB of flash. Use it when one core must handle sensors while the other handles motors or a display.
Parts used
Arduino Nano 3.0 Compatible Development Board, Type-C USB, ATmega328PB, CH340C, $10.96. Arduino Nano 3.0 compatible development board with ATmega328PB MCU, CH340C USB-serial chip, and Type-C USB. Works with the Arduino IDE for maker, STEM, and robotics projects. Ships from NY, USA.
UNO R3 Compatible Development Board, ATmega328P CH340G : USB / Type-C, $9.27. UNO R3 compatible development board with ATmega328P and CH340G USB-serial, 16MHz, 14 digital I/O and 6 analog inputs. Works with the Arduino IDE. USB-B or Type-C, with or without cable. Ships from NY, USA.
RP2040 Pro Micro Development Board, 16MB Flash, USB-C, QMK Compatible, $8.37. RP2040 Pro Micro development board with 16MB flash, dual-core RP2040, USB-C, and BOOT and RESET buttons. Runs MicroPython and QMK firmware. Ships from NY, USA.
ESP32 DevKit V1 Development Board, 30-Pin WROOM-32, WiFi + Bluetooth, $11.99. Original ESP32 DevKit V1 development board, 30-pin WROOM-32 with dual-core processor, WiFi + Bluetooth, in Micro USB or Type-C versions, with or without breakout board. Ships from NY, USA.
L298N Dual H-Bridge Motor Driver Module for Arduino, DC / Stepper, 5-35V, 2A, $7.17. L298N dual H-bridge motor driver module for Arduino. Drives 2 DC motors or 1 stepper motor, 5-35V, 2A per bridge, built-in 5V regulator. 1, 2 or 4 pack. Ships from NY, USA.
TT Motor 130 Gear Motor + 65mm Wheel Set, 2 Motors + 2 Wheels, 3-6V DC, for Arduino Smart Car Robot, $9.63. TT motor 130 gear motor with 65mm wheel set for Arduino smart car robots. 2 motors + 2 wheels, 3-6V DC, 1:48 gear ratio, 800 gf cm torque. Ships from NY, USA.
Smart Robot Car Chassis Kit with Speed Encoder and Battery Box for Arduino, 2WD / 4WD, $48.22. Smart robot car chassis kit with speed encoder and battery box for Arduino. 2WD or 4WD with L298N driver, ultrasonic and tracking modules, UNO R3 board and assembly drawings. Ships from NY, USA.
EQV Mecanum Wheel 4WD Robot Car Chassis Kit, Aluminum Alloy, 60mm Omni Wheels, $47.11. EQV mecanum wheel 4WD robot car chassis kit in aluminum alloy. 60mm omni wheels with TT motors, single or double layer, complete kit or plate set. Assembly required. Ships from NY, USA.
TCRT5000 Infrared Reflective Line Tracking Sensor Module, 4-Pack, $7.02. TCRT5000 infrared reflective line tracking sensor module. 1: 25mm adjustable detection, LM393 comparator, digital output, 3.3: 5V. 4-pack for Arduino robot cars. Ships from NY, USA.
IR Infrared Obstacle Avoidance Sensor Module, 5-Pack / 10-Pack, $6.20. IR infrared obstacle avoidance sensor module for Arduino and robot cars. 2: 30cm adjustable detection, 35° angle, LM393 comparator, 3.3: 5V. 5-packs and 10-packs. Ships from NY, USA.
DHT22 / AM2302 Digital Temperature & Humidity Sensor Module, $5.96. DHT22 / AM2302 digital temperature and humidity sensor module. 0: 100% RH, -40 to 80°C, 3.3: 5.5V, single-bus output for Arduino and ESP32. Ships from NY, USA.
HC-SR501 PIR Motion Sensor Module, 2-Pack, $7.62. HC-SR501 PIR motion sensor module for Arduino and Raspberry Pi. 5: 20V, adjustable 0.3: 18s delay, up to 7m detection, <120° cone. 2-pack. Ships from NY, USA.
TP4056 5V Micro USB 1A Lithium Battery Charging Module (5 Pack), $14.99. TP4056 5V micro USB 1A lithium charging modules, pack of 5. Handy for bench charging single cells and small DIY packs. I check every module before it ships.
0.96 Inch OLED Display Module, SSD1306, I2C, 128×64, for Arduino / ESP32 / ESP8266, $5.47. 0.96 inch OLED display module, SSD1306 driver, 128×64 pixels, I2C interface, 4 pins (GND, VCC, SCL, SDA), 3.3V-5V. Works with Arduino, ESP32, ESP8266, and Raspberry Pi. Choose yellow-blue, white, or blue display. Sh
Microcontrollers and Development
Related buying guides on Quality RC Parts
Microcontrollers for Robotics in the USA
Motor Drivers for Arduino in the USA
Browse all the guides on the Quality RC Parts Drone Guides hub, or start at the Quality RC Parts store.
Sources
- Arduino: Language Reference
- Adafruit: Feather RP2040 Pico guide (RP2040 at 133 MHz)
- Espressif: ESP32 product page (2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, up to 240 MHz)
Quality RC Parts stocks parts in New York, USA and ships in-stock orders in 1-2 business days.
Last updated: 2026-11-10.