Elegoo Smart Robot Car Kit V4.0 Assembly Guide
The full build video for this assembly — the steps below follow it in the same order.
What you need before starting
- Main Boards & Shield: Elegoo Uno R3 Control Board, V4.0 IO Expansion Board (with TB6612 motor driver & IR receiver), ESP32-S3 Camera Module, and GY-521 Gyroscope Module
- Sensors & Actuators: Ultrasonic Distance Sensor Module, 3-Channel Line-Tracking Module, SG90 Servo Motor (for camera/ultrasonic gimbal), and 4x DC Gear Motors (1:48 gear ratio)
- Chassis & Power: Top Acrylic Base Plate, Bottom Acrylic Base Plate, 4x Rubber Tires/Wheels, and Rechargeable Lithium Battery Box (with built-in power switch, USB charging port, and protection board)
- Mounting Brackets & Metalware: Aluminum Motor Brackets (4pcs), Acrylic Camera Holder Bracket, Dead Plate, Copper Standoff Pillars (M2 & M3 sizes), Plastic Separation Pillars, and Assorted Screws/Nuts (M1.6, M2, M3)
- Accessories & Wiring: IR Remote Control, Micro USB Cable (for battery charging), USB Type-B Programming Cable, 4-Pin & 5-Pin Connector Cables, 5m Black PVC Electrical Tape (for line tracking), and Set of Screwdrivers (Mini Phillips and Hex drivers)
The full build video for this assembly — the steps below follow it in the same order.
Prepare chassis plates and mount DC motors
Peel off the protective paper film from both acrylic chassis plates. Attach an aluminum mounting bracket to each of the four DC gear motors using long bolts and nuts. Secure the assembled motors onto the bottom acrylic plate using the short hex screws fastened from underneath.
Attach line tracking module
Position the line tracking sensor module under the front section of the bottom acrylic plate. Pass screws through the pre-drilled holes, insert plastic spacing pillars to set the clearance height, and tighten them down with nuts.
Set up extension hat and Gyroscope
Screw a copper standoff column onto the sensor expansion shield using a mini screw. Align the pins of the GY-521 gyroscope module and press it firmly into the expansion hat header, then secure the top with a second screw.
Mount Arduino Uno and battery pack
Install copper standoff pillars onto the top acrylic chassis plate and mount the Elegoo Uno R3 board using three screws. Snap the prepared expansion shield directly on top of the Uno board's header pins. Mount the battery box onto the top chassis plate using small screws and nuts.
Assemble ESP32 camera and ultrasonic pan-tilt head
Bolt the small acrylic "dead plate" to the top chassis. Mount the servo motor to the plate and attach the ultrasonic sensor bracket onto the servo shaft. Assemble the ESP32-S3 camera board into its acrylic holder using copper columns, then join the camera mount to the ultrasonic bracket assembly.
Connect circuit wiring and join chassis plates
Plug the motor leads into the M1-M4 screw/pin terminals on the expansion shield. Connect the camera, servo motor, ultrasonic sensor, line tracking module, and battery box cables into their labeled ports on the shield. Stack the top plate onto the motor chassis using standoff pillars and secure it, then press all four wheels onto the motor axles.
Power on and test operational modes
Toggle the battery box switch to ON. Set the switch to "Cam" mode for normal operation (or "Upload" when programming via computer). Use the IR remote or connect a phone via Wi-Fi to the Elegoo app to test manual remote control, auto-follow, line tracking, and obstacle avoidance modes.
If something does not work
Motors spin but car doesn't move: Check motor wire polarity on expansion shield terminals.
Upload fails in Arduino IDE: Flip switch on expansion shield from "Cam" to "Upload" mode.
Wi-Fi camera stream disconnects: Ensure switch is on "Cam" mode and phone connects directly to robot Wi-Fi network.
Line tracking module fails: Adjust sensor distance from ground using plastic separation pillars.