Very Simple Line Follower for Beginners
π Overview
A line-following robot designed for absolute beginners: an Arduino, a motor driver, and a pair of line sensors on a bought-in chassis. The sensors watch for the black line and the robot drives along it by itself.
It has the fewest parts and the simplest code of any robot project - a perfect first build that runs in half a day.
π§° What you need
- Arduino board x1
- Line sensor modules x2 (or a dual-channel module)
- Motor driver module (L298N/L293D or TB6612)
- Two-motor robot chassis (with wheels and battery holder)
- Breadboard + jumper wires
- Optional: 3D-printed sensor bracket
π§ Step by step
Gather the parts
Buy a ready-made smart-car chassis and save yourself the mechanical work
Space the sensors slightly wider than the black line - it works better
Assemble the chassis
Fit the motors and wheels and fix the battery holder
Use two identical motors; a large speed difference makes the car veer
Wire it up
Connect the motor driver to Arduino digital pins to control each motor's direction and speed
Connect the sensor signals to analog or digital inputs
Tie the motor supply and logic supply grounds together
Fit the batteries
Power it from 4-6 AA cells or an 18650 pack matched to the motors and board
Fix the pack firmly and keep it low
Upload the sketch
The logic is simple: line on the left, turn left; line on the right, turn right; no line, go straight
Flash a simple forward/turn test sketch first to confirm the wiring
Lay out a track
Stick a black tape line onto a light-coloured floor
About 2cm wide suits the sensor spacing
Run it
Put the car behind the line, power up, and watch it follow
Start slow; if the turning radius is too large, slow down further
π‘ Tips
- Tune the threshold: read the sensors on light and dark surfaces and take the midpoint as your decision value
- Sharp corners lose the line - add a third sensor or slow the car down
- This car has no PID; it steers on/off, so it is slow but very stable - ideal for beginners