Build your own autonomous line-following robot from the ground up with this beginner-friendly DIY soldering kit. Once assembled, the car tracks a black line on a white surface automatically — no programming required. It’s pure analog circuit design, making it an ideal teaching project for understanding how sensors, comparators, and motor drivers work together.
How it works: The circuit combines photoelectric sensing, voltage comparison, and motor drive into one elegant analog system. Red LEDs project light onto the surface beneath the car, and photoresistors detect the reflected intensity — white reflects strongly, black absorbs. The LM393 dual voltage comparator reads the difference between the two photoresistors and selectively drives the left or right motor, steering the car back onto the line whenever it drifts. When the car runs true, both wheels alternate to follow the curve.
Technical specifications:
- Power supply: 3V DC (2 × AA batteries — not included)
- Board dimensions: 72 × 105 mm
- Main IC: LM393 voltage comparator (classic teaching circuit, no MCU programming)
- Track requirements: ~15 mm wide black line on white surface, gentle curves only
Soldering notes: Photoresistor and LED alignment is critical — both should sit parallel to the ground at roughly 2–4 mm clearance under the front of the chassis. Sensitivity depends heavily on this placement, so take your time on the front-end sensor pair. The motor gear assembly can be fiddly, so younger builders may want adult assistance.
Expected behaviour: Off the track, only one wheel turns and one LED stays lit — this is normal. Once placed on a proper black-line track, both motors alternate as the comparator corrects course.
Package includes: 1 × set of loose parts (batteries not included).
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.