Hiwonder JetAuto AI Robot Starter Kit

Specifications:

• Chassis Type: 4WD Omnidirectional Mecanum Robot Car
• Frame Material: Anodized Aluminum Alloy
• Drive Motors: 4× DC Geared Encoder Motors
• Wheel Type: 4× 97mm Heavy-Duty Omnidirectional Mecanum Wheels
• Operating Voltage: 11.1V 6000mAh lithium battery
• Motor Feedback: Dual-Phase AB Quadrature Encoders
• Integrated Controller: Chassis Motor Driver Board (Main SBC Controller Not Included)
• Communication Interface: Serial UART / USB Interface to Host SBC
• Suspension System: Independent Pendulum Suspension
• Dimensions: 302mm × 260mm × 156mm
• Weight: 3.500 kg
• Compatible Host SBCs: NVIDIA Jetson Nano, Jetson Orin Nano, Raspberry Pi 4 / 5, PC/x86 SBCs
• Primary Applications: ROS/ROS2 SLAM Mapping, Autonomous Navigation, AI Mobile Robotics

Unlock New Capabilities

• Past Projects: If you've already experimented with basic 2WD acrylic chassis kits, built simple line-following robots, or tinkered with introductory Arduino motor drivers, you understand the basics of mobile robotics — which means you're ready to graduate to an industrial-grade kinematics platform.
• Feature Upgrade This JetAuto Starter Kit unlocks true autonomous navigation, complex 2D/3D SLAM mapping, and machine vision applications using ROS (Robot Operating System) or ROS2. It allows you to build algorithms for omnidirectional strafing, path planning, and obstacle avoidance — capabilities you simply cannot achieve reliably on a chassis without precise encoder feedback and mecanum dynamics.
• Effort Level & Minimum Hardware
• Effort Level: Advanced

Included in the Box:

• 1× JetAuto Aluminum Alloy Frame
• 4× 96mm Omnidirectional Mecanum Wheels
• 4× DC Geared Encoder Motors
• 1× Chassis Motor Driver / Expansion Board
• 1× Hardware Assembly Kit (Screws, Standoffs, Suspension Links)
• 1× Card Reader
• 1× Wireless Controller
• Include SLAMTEC A1 Lidar and ROS Controller Assembled 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the JetAuto Starter Kit compatible with Raspberry Pi 5?
  Yes, the chassis and driver board support serial communication with both Raspberry Pi 4 and 5.
• Can I use an NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano with this chassis?
  Yes, the mounting points and communication protocols are fully compatible with the Jetson Orin Nano.
• Does this kit include the main controller board?
  No, this is the Starter Kit and requires you to provide your own host SBC like a Jetson Nano or Raspberry Pi.
• Can I use this robot with ROS2?
  Yes, the hardware supports both ROS 1 (Melodic/Noetic) and ROS 2 (Humble/Foxy) depending on your host controller's OS.
• What voltage does the JetAuto chassis require?
  The chassis motor driver board requires an 11.1V DC input, typically provided by a 3S LiPo battery.
• Can I power the motors directly from my Raspberry Pi?
  No, the motors draw significant current and must be powered directly from the 11.1V battery input on the driver board.
• Is a battery included in this Starter Kit?
  No, you will need to purchase an 11.1V 3S LiPo battery and a compatible charger separately.
• How do I connect the chassis driver to my Jetson Nano?
  The most reliable method is using a standard USB data cable connected between the driver board and your Jetson's USB port.
• Can I communicate with the driver board via UART?
  Yes, you can use the TX/RX pins, provided you ensure a common ground and 3.3V logic compatibility.
• Do I need a logic level converter for the serial connection?
  If you use the USB connection, no level converter is needed, but direct UART to a 3.3V SBC may require verification based on the driver board's logic level.
• Where can I find the ROS packages for JetAuto?
  Hiwonder provides complete ROS workspaces and packages on their official GitHub repository.
• Can I program this robot using Python?
  Yes, you can use rospy or rclpy to write high-level autonomous navigation scripts in Python.
• Are SLAM mapping examples included?
  Yes, the official documentation includes example nodes for gmapping, hector_slam, and RTAB-Map.
• Why is my robot drifting when strafing sideways?
  Drift is usually caused by uneven weight distribution, a low battery, or insufficient traction on the mecanum wheels.
• Why is my SBC not receiving encoder data from the chassis?
  Check that the USB or UART cable is securely connected and that you have granted the correct read/write permissions to the serial port in Linux.
• Why do the motors stall when climbing a small bump?
  This usually indicates voltage sag from an undercharged or low-C rating LiPo battery unable to provide the stall current.
• How can I test the motors without ROS running?
  You can send direct serial velocity commands via a terminal application or use a connected wireless gamepad if supported by the driver board.