GoBabyGo: Make a Joystick-controlled Ride-on Car

Founded by a University of Delaware professor, GoBabyGo is a global initiative that shows laypeople how to modify toy ride-on cars so they can be used by young children with limited mobility. The project, which involves swapping out the foot pedal for an easily pushed button, costs about $200 and requires little technical skill.

The result is more than just a fun ride. Children with limited mobility are often at risk of social isolation simply because they can’t easily approach playmates. These cars help children become independently mobile, allowing them to more easily explore their world while attracting the positive attention of peers.

Inspired by GoBabyGo, and with input from physical therapists, we developed a design for controlling a ride-on car that can be fully controlled with a joystick. A joystick has several benefits compared to a button and steering wheel. Some kids don't have the motor control required to use a steering wheel, so they have limited control over where they go. The buttons have two speeds – off and full power, making them difficult for younger kids to manage. And with a car-style steering wheel, the car can’t make sharp turns in confined indoor areas.

The joystick cars function as a kind of powered wheelchair. This is especially important because few motorized wheelchair models exist for small children, and those that do exist cost thousands of dollars. They can also be off-putting to other children – the opposite of the toy cars, which are enticing.

Joystick-controlled GoBabyGo cars can also help prepare children to control a larger motorized wheelchair when they're older. This is of particular importance because insurance companies often won't pay for a powered wheelchair unless a child can demonstrate competence using a joystick – a Catch-22 situation the joystick car can help solve.

These benefits do require more of a financial investment (they cost about 50% more than the push-button car, less if you have some parts on hand), and they will require a bit more time and skill to put together.

In this project, a joystick replaces the pedal and steering wheel that were originally used to control a battery-powered Jeep. The front wheels are replaced with casters, and two motor-controllers and an Arduino microcontroller control the two motors. These instructions are step-by-step for this Jeep, but here's a generalized circuit diagram for those interested in the big picture. We also have instructions for a firetruck model. The design in these instructions enables the child to go forwards, backwards, and spin with a zero turn radius – and we firmly believe that every kid should be able to spin in circles!

Note that this project uses 3D printed parts. If you lack a 3D printer, printing services can be found online, at libraries, or at a maker-space. The project also includes lots of soldering, though some of the splicing could be replaced with crimp connectors.

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for improvement, or need help troubleshooting your joystick-controlled GoBabyGo Jeep, comment here, or email us at gobabygocarswithjoysticks@gmail.com.

Tools List

Ear protection

Eye protection

Pencil

Scissors

Phillips screwdriver

Small phillips screwdriver

Small flat head screwdriver (size 2 or 2.5)

IP6/T6 Torx driver

Tape measure

3/4" Wrench

Large channel lock pliers

Needle nose pliers

PVC pipe cutter or saw

PVC glue

White duct tape

Drill

5/64", 3/32", and 1/16" drill bits

Wire strippers

Crimping tool

Soldering iron (with sponge)

Fume extractor

Heat gun

Electrical tape

Hammer

Rotary tool (Dremel) w/ cutting disks

Clamps

Computer with a usb port and access to the Internet

Mini USB cable for Arduino

Hot glue

These instructions are written specifically for the Aosom 370-038WT - Amazon

Parts:

1. 2x 5” caster w/ ½”-13 x 1-1/2” threaded stem and “No Brake” option 

2. 4x washer with ½” I.D.

3. 2x ½”-13 lock nut

4. 2x 160A brushed ESC with 5v BEC 

5. Large (~4mm) heat shrink

6. Small (~1/16”) heat shrink

7. 2x 2’ length of 16AWG red wire

8. 2x 14-16AWG (blue) female spade connectors

9. Radiolink joystick replacement for RC controllers AT9 and AT10 (get the “back to middle” type that springs back on both axes). 

10. 4.5’ length of four-wire ribbon cable

11. 2x 4-40 nut

12. 2x 4-40 1 ¼” machine screw with phillips head

13. 12” of ¼” split loom plastic wire protector tube

14. 18x m2.2x14mm screws 

15. 8” length of 22AWG black wire

16. 8” length of 22AWG red wire

17. Arduino Nano with ATmega328p (Find the best deal with good reviews.)

18. Arduino Nano screw terminal breakout board

19. 10’ length of ¾” schedule 40 PVC tubing

20. 2x ¼-20 locknut

21. 2x ¼-20 3/4” machine screw with rounded head

22. 8x 3/4" PVC elbows

23. 2x #6 1-½” wood screws

24. 2x #6 2” wood screws

25. 4x plywood chunks (about 1-2 inches on each side)

26. ¾” x 1 ¾” piece of 1/16” rubber gasket sheet

27. Harness system (small size)

28. 4x 1 ½” x 5” strips of Velcro (the soft loop side) with adhesive

29. 4x 1 ½” x 5” strips of Velcro (the hard hook side) with adhesive

30. 2x large zip ties

3D printed parts:

101. Joystick holder Base (print in muted color so as to not distract driver from the joystick handle; use Onshape CAD if you want to make changes)

102. Joystick holder Lid (print in muted color)

103. Joystick holder Clamp (print in muted color)

104. Optional clip that prevents turning for practice going forward: Clip (print in muted color)

105. 1 each, Joystick handles: small, medium, large, (printed in a bright color using dense hexagonal infill); use Onshape for custom sizes.

106. 2x Saddle Tee part 1 (print in muted color)

107. 2x Saddle Tee part 2 (print in muted color)

201. Back wheels

202. Back axle

203. Front bar (attached to steering mechanism) 

204. Grey reinforcement pieces 

205. Seat 

206. Little plastic wrenches 

207. Bags of nuts, bolts, and screws 

208. Back motors 

209. Motor covers 

210. Charger 

211. Driving lights 

212. Toolbox 

213. Auxiliary cord for music 

214. Manual

Parts of the Jeep not shown in the image can be discarded.

3.01. Remove all nuts and washers from the back axle (29).

3.02. Slide the back axle into place as shown below.

3.03. Install back motors (35), back wheels (28), spacers (34), nuts (34) (tighten the nuts on the two ends of the axle (29) simultaneously), and hubcaps (34) as shown in the manual (image below). Use the provided plastic wrenches.

4.01. The front steering motor will not be used. Unplug the wires to the motor. Unscrew the motor, remove and discard.

4.02. Unscrew the locknuts from the metal steering mechanism to remove the front bar (203)

4.03. Use a clamp to securely hold the front bar.

4.04. Remove the round tubes on the front bar by using the dremel and a cutting wheel to cut through the welds that hold the tubes in place. (Try to maintain the structural integrity of the square bar while cutting; the round tubes will be disposed of, so damaging them while cutting is acceptable.) After the welds are cut, use a hammer to tap the tubes out if necessary (making sure to hammer from the side of the tube OPPOSITE the weld).

4.05. Place the casters (1) into the holes in the bar (where the tubes were), with washers (2) on both sides of the hole. Bolt the casters to the bar using ½-13 lock nuts (3), using a large channel lock pliers to keep the caster from spinning while turning the nut with a ¾” wrench. Make sure that the casters are not installed upside-down; mounting tabs on the bar should be on the wheel side.

4.06. Use screws (207) found in the Jeep parts to screw the front bar to the Jeep.

5.01. Unplug all the wires connecting to the original motor controller board, unscrew and discard the board.

5.02. Put electrical tape over the unconnected battery terminal. This prevents an accidental discharge of the battery.

5.03. Cut the black wire off of the main power plug and leave the red wire connected to the plug (for now). Strip the end of the black wire.

5.04. Cut all the wires from the small six-wire cable in the Jeep. Discard the plug, and strip the black and red wires.

5.05. Locate the two setting selecting switches on the side of the ESCs (4). For both ESCs, select F/R (the middle position) with the top switch and NiMH (the rightmost position) with the bottom switch, as shown in the picture. Turn the on/off switch wired to the ESC to the ON position.

5.06. Cut the plug connected to the red and black wires off of both ESCs (4), making sure to cut as close to the plug as possible. Strip the ends of the black and red wires.

5.07. Connect the black wire from the battery (from Step 5.03), the small black wire from the front of the Jeep (from Step 5.04), and the black wire from both ESCs (from Step 5.06). Solder and cover with the large heat shrink (5).

5.08. Connect the big red wire from both ESCs (from Step 5.06), and the small red wire (from Step 5.04) to a 2’ piece of 16AWG red wire (7). Solder and cover with the large heat shrink (5).

5.09. Remove the plug from the red wire of the battery plug (the plug left on in Step 5.03), strip the end and solder to the second 2’ 16AWG red wire (7), covering with heat shrink.

5.10. Cut the plug off of one of the motors and strip half an inch of insulation from each wire. Cut the plug from the yellow wire from one of the ESCs, strip the wire, and solder the yellow wire from the ESC to the red wire of the motor, covering with heat shrink. Cut the plugs from the blue wire from the ESC, strip the wire, and solder the blue wire from the ESC to the black wire of the motor, covering with heat shrink. Repeat these steps for the other motor and ESC.

5.11. From the underside of the Jeep, remove the black cover that protects the wires that attach to the High Speed/Low Speed switch and the Forward/Stop/Reverse gear knob (5 screws).

5.12. Cut the wires that go to the foot pedal.

5.13. Cut the small zip ties holding wires together near the power switches.

5.14. Pull all the wires off of the switches using pliers. Be sure not to cut these wires. When using pliers, try pulling up and to the sides to pull the spade terminals out easily.

5.15. There is a spade connector with two black wires and a brown wire connected to it. Cut the brown wire, but leave it connecting the two black wires. Put tape over the metal part of the terminal.

5.16. Cut the white wire off of the plug.

5.17. Discard the disconnected wires (the ones not connected to anything else). Gently pull on the wires hanging out of the bottom of the Jeep. Many of them should come loose because they were cut or disconnected.

5.18. Thread the two 2’ long 16AWG red wires (7, previously used in Steps 5.08 and 5.09) through the hole in the compartment under the seat to the underside of the Jeep near the plugs, strip the ends and crimp to spade connectors (8; make sure that the crimp compresses the metal tube inside the outer plastic insulator of the spade connector – not just the plastic – so that the crimp binds the wire to the connector.). Plug the spade connectors to the switch as shown in the picture (polarity does not matter).

5.19. Cut the plug off the joystick (9) and strip half an inch of insulation off of each of the six wires. The wires are so thin that it may be easier to use a thumbnail to strip the wire instead of a wire stripper.

5.20. Strip a quarter of an inch of insulation off of each wire on one end of the four wire ribbon cable (10).

5.21. Put a piece of small heat shrink tubing (6) on each wire of the four wire cable (so it will be there after you solder).

5.22. Solder the two red wires from the joystick to the red wire of the ribbon cable.

5.23. Solder the two black wires from the joystick to the black wire of the ribbon cable.

5.24. Solder the white wire that comes from the side of the joystick (y axis) to the green wire of the ribbon cable.

5.25. Solder the white wire that comes from closer to the center of the joystick (x axis) to the blue wire of the ribbon cable.

5.26. Shrink the heat shrink on the 4 solder joints.

5.27. Drop a 4-40 nut (11) into each of the two slots on the 3D printed joystick holder base piece (101). Check that you see the holes in the nuts though the holes where the bolts will go. If the nut does not fall completely into its slot (i.e., if the hole in the nut does not completely line up with the hole in the joystick holder base), you may need to the point of a nail or screw into the hole in the nut then push the nut into place). To keep the nuts in place for now, screw the 4-40 1 ¼” machine screws (12) into the nuts.

5.28. Fit the joystick into the 3d printed joystick holder lid (102), it should fit in only one orientation.

5.29. Put the wire protector tube (13) around the four wire ribbon cable (10), with a couple inches of wire showing between the joystick and the wire protector. Tighten a large zip tie (30) around the end of the wire protector closest to the joystick, about ¼” from the end of the wire protector (the zip tie will provide some strain relief, preventing the wire from being pulled out of the joystick holder).

5.30. Fit the 3D printed joystick holder lid (102) and base (101) pieces together, with the end of the wire protector tube and the zip tie going inside the box.

5.31. Secure the lid with four m2.2x14mm screws (14) using a Torx (star-shaped) T6 screw driver bit, making sure to hold the lid down tightly as you put the screws in. It might be helpful to drill out the four holes using a 1/16" drill bit first. It also helps to partially tighten each screw before fully tightening any screw.

5.32. Unscrew the dashboard and route the four-wire ribbon cable (10) through the dashboard (where the steering wheel would attach), along the underside of the Jeep (with the wires to/from the plugs) and through to the back compartment under the seat.

5.33. Push any extra ribbon cable into the dashboard (as well as a few inches of wire protector). Tighten a large zip tie around the wire protector, about ¼” from the end of the wire protector (the zip tie will prevent the wire from being pulled out of the dashboard). Pull the extra wire protector back through the hole in the dashboard until the connector of the zip tie is snug against the back of the dashboard.

5.34. Tuck all of the wiring on the back of the dashboard back into its compartment, position the dashboard back into place, and secure it with the screws that you removed in Step 5.32.

5.35. In the back compartment of the car, separate approximately 4 to 5 inches of the black wire from the rest of the four-wire ribbon cable (10) that is attached at its other end to the joystick. Also cut the small black wire off of the plug of the three-wire ribbon cable from each of the two ESCs (4), and separate several inches of these black wires. Strip about ½” of insulation of each of these three wires, as well as one end of an 8” length of 22AWG black wire (15). Add heat shrink, and solder these four black wires together.

5.36. Separate several inches of the red wire from the rest of the four-wire ribbon cable. Also clip the small red wire off of the plug of the three-wire ribbon cable from the left ESC and separate several inches of this red wire (the small red wire from the right ESC can remain attached to the plug – it will remain unused). Strip about ½” of insulation of each of these two wires, as well as one end of an 8” length of 22 AWG red wire (16). Add heat shrink, and solder these three red wires together.

5.37. Screw the motor covers (209) on over the motors in the rear compartment.

The result of the changes to the wiring made here will cause the High Speed/Low Speed switch to become an On/Off switch (which will be labeled in the Finishing Touches section), and the Forward/Stop/Reverse gear knob will become nonfunctional (its function will be replaced by the joystick).

6.01. Plug the Arduino Nano (17) into the Arduino screw terminal breakout board (18), making sure to orient the Arduino properly (for example, the VIN pin on the corner of the Arduino should be correspond with the corner of the breakout board with the screw terminal marked VIN). Before pressing the Arduino into the breakout board, make sure all pins are within the appropriate sockets, then press the Arduino into the sockets firmly.

6.02. Loosen the screw terminals on the breakout board marked 5V, either GND , A1, A4, D3 and D6.

6.03. Strip about 1/8” of insulation from the black 22AWG wire (15) left detached in Step 5.35. Twist the stripped wire and insert into either of the screw terminals marked GND (shortening the stripped wires if necessary to ensure that they fit into the screw terminal with no excess uninsulated wire showing), and tighten the screw terminal to clamp the wire.

6.04. Strip about 1/8” of insulation from the red 22AWG wire (16) left detached in Step 5.36. Twist the stripped wire and insert into the screw terminal marked 5V, and tighten the screw terminal to clamp the wire.

6.05. Strip about 1/8” of insulation from the green wire from the four-wire ribbon cable. Twist the stripped wire and insert into the screw terminal marked A1, and tighten the screw terminal to clamp the wire.

6.06. Strip about 1/8” of insulation from the blue wire from the four-wire ribbon cable. Twist the stripped wire and insert into the screw terminal marked A4, and tighten the screw terminal to clamp the wire.

6.07. Locate the left ESC (i.e., the ESC attached to the left, “driver side” motor). Cut the white wire from the ESC’s 3-wire cable (the black wire that previously attached to the plug was disconnected in Step 5.36), and separate a few inches of the white wire from the red wire. Strip about 1/8” of insulation from this white wire, twist the stripped wire and insert into the screw terminal marked D3, then tighten the screw terminal to clamp the wire.

6.08. Locate the right ESC (i.e., the ESC attached to the right, “passenger side” motor). Cut the white wire from the ESC’s 3-wire cable (the black wire that previously attached to the plug was disconnected in Step 5.35), and separate a few inches of the white wire from the red wire (the red wire will not be used and can remain connected to the plug). Strip about 1/8” of insulation from this white wire, twist the stripped wire and insert into the screw terminal marked D6, then tighten the screw terminal to clamp the wire.

6.09. Now that all of the wiring is complete, it's time to plug the battery into the circuit. Take off the tape on the battery terminal, and plug the loose red wire with the green plug onto the battery terminal.

6.10. It is now a good time to charge the car for the first time, using the charging cable (210) that came with the car. The battery should be charged for 12 hours.

7.01. Cut the 10’ length of ¾” PVC tubing (19) to the following lengths

1. 2x 26.5" pieces
2. 1x 14.5" piece
3. 2x 13" pieces
4. 2x 7.5" pieces
5. 1x 5" piece
6. 2x 3" pieces

7.02. Join the two parts of each 3D printed saddle tee (106, 107) together, using five m2.2x14mm screws (14). It may help to first drill out the holes using a 1/16" drill bit.

7.03. Place a ¼-20 locknut (20) into the pocket at the end of each connector tee, then screw a ¼-20 ¾” machine screw (21) with rounded head through the hole at the side of the tee and into the nut, just enough to hold the nut in place.

7.04. Attach the saddle tees to the ends of the 14.5" piece of PVC (push them onto the ends, rotated at the same angle – the flat sides of the tees should be oriented in the same direction). Drill 1/16" pilot holes into the PVC pipe, and secure with 2 m2.2x14mm screws (14).

7.05. Slide the saddle tees onto the two 26.5" pieces (you may need to loosen the machine screw on the end of the tee a bit to allow them to slide easily). When attached to the rest of the frame, the flat side of the saddle tees (106) should be on the underside of the tee, and the machine screws (21) can be tightened to lock the tees in place.

7.06. Assemble the frame as shown using cut PVC pipe and 8 PVC elbows (22), trying to rotate the printed text on the PVC to the underside of the pipe so that it remains hidden from view. DO NOT GLUE THE PART OF THE JOINTS CIRCLED IN GREEN (MAKE SURE THE TOP PART – THE BACKREST – IS REMOVABLE BY LIFTING UP). Other joints should be glued with PVC glue after verifying that the elbow angles are appropriate.

7.07. Use four #6 wood screws (23, 24) to secure the frame to the Jeep, using two 1-½” screws to attach the front posts to the side of the hood and two 2” screws to attach the frame to the upper edge of the rear of the Jeep. Make pilot holes first using a 5/64" drill bit, then use screws. For a more secure connection, screw into wood chunks (25) placed inside of the Jeep (one chunk for each screw). Tip for the back screws: if you remove the taillights (their screws can be accessed by reaching up from under the Jeep) you can hold the wood blocks through the holes, and then you can replace the lights. TO AVOID INJURY, TAKE APPROPRIATE CARE TO KEEP FINGERS CLEAR FROM THE SCREWS WHILE SCREWING INTO THE WOODEN BLOCKS.

7.08. Cover screw heads with white duct tape

7.09. Cut a 19mm x 45mm piece of 1/16” rubber gasket (26).

7.10. Put the piece of rubber into the recessed rectangle of the joystick holder clamp (103). (You may have to trim the piece of rubber slightly.)

7.11. Remove the 4-40 machine screws (12) that are temporarily holding the 4-40 nuts (11) in the joystick holder, taking care not to let the nuts fall out of their slots. Then slide the bolts through the two holes in the 3d printed clamp piece.

7.12. Bolt the joystick holder base to the clamp around the PVC crosspiece. It should take almost no force with the screwdriver – if you feel resistance, check the alignment of the nuts and try again. Tighten both bolts similar distances.

7.13. Twist the two silver metal pieces off of the joystick threaded shaft and discard.

7.14. Screw one of the 3D printed joystick handles (105) onto the shaft of the joystick. Don’t over tighten since you’re screwing into plastic. It may help to drill out the hole with a 3/32" drill bit.

8.01. To program the Jeep, open this website using Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Opera: https://gobabygocarswithjoysticks.github.io/programmer/#new and follow the on-screen instructions.

8.02. After the code is installed, test how the Jeep drives. Adjust the parameters through the website as needed – children of different ages and experience levels may need different parameters (e.g., younger, less experienced, or timid children may need an acceleration or peak velocity lower than the defaults, while more experienced children may prefer a more exciting ride!

8.03. If you are having issues getting the website or the Jeep to work properly, feel free to email us at gobabygocarswithjoysticks@gmail.com for help with troubleshooting.

8.04. After it has been determined that the Jeep is working properly and the parameters are set to your satisfaction, use hot glue to secure the Arduino screw terminal (18) to the small round plastic column on the driver’s side of the under seat compartment, arranging the wires as neatly as possible and positioning it so that easy access to the USB port is maintained. Securing the board will prevent it from being jostled to the point where the wires may become disengaged from the screw terminals

9.01. Separate the straps that connect the harness system’s (27) head rest cushion to the seat cushion. Remove the figure-8 shaped plastic clip used to hold the loose end of the strap as well (these clips will be reinstalled later, so keep them in a safe place).

9.02. Cut the two elastic bands that hold the round plastic clips to the underside of the harness system’s seat, and dispose of the elastic and the round clips.

9.03. Secure (using their adhesive backing) four strips of 1 ½” x 5” velcro (28, the softer, loop pieces) to the back of the harness system, as outlined in red in the photo. All strips should be centered left/right on the harness, with two of them positioned on either side of the seam between the seat and the back cushions, one so that its outermost edge is 3” from the bottom edge of the harness, and one so that its outermost edge is 3” from the seam between the seatback and the headrest.

9.04. Secure (using their adhesive backing) four strips of 1 ½” x 5” velcro (29, the harder, hook pieces) to the Jeep seat (205), as outlined in red in the photo. All strips should be centered left/right on the seat, with two of them positioned just above and below the bend between the seat and the back cushions, one toward the front edge of the seat (with its front corners just touching the front seam of the seat), and one at the lower edge of the head rest (with its lower corners just touching the seam between the headrest and the seat).

9.05. Remove the screw that secures one of the seatbelt clips to the jeep’s chassis. Before removing the clip, it is helpful to use a silver Sharpie to mark a “D” ( for Driver’s side) or “P” (for Passenger side) on the clip to ensure that you do not change the orientation and location of the clip when you reinstall it in a later step.

9.06. Without installing the seat yet, place the harness system approximately where it will be placed in the Jeep (as if the seat were installed). Feed the harness strap from the side of the harness seat (taking care not to allow any twists) through the seat belt clip, entering from the top (over the screw) and then routing it out from under the clip and out of the car, as in the photo.

9.07. Retighten the screw that secures the clip that secures the seatbelt strap, leaving it just loose enough that you are still able to slide the harness strap through the clip.

9.08. Repeat Steps 9.05–9.07 with the harness strap and seatbelt clip on the opposite side of the car (again making sure to avoid twists in the harness strap when it is threaded through the clip.

9.09. Slide the Jeep’s plastic seat into place, taking care to avoid having the velcro straps on the seat and harness from making contact until the seat is approximately in place. Position the harness system squarely over the seat, centered and with the seam between the seat and seat back positioned appropriately. Press the harness into the seat so that the velcro strips (28, 29) become secure.

9.10. Replace the figure-8 shaped clips (which were removed in Step 9.01) onto the loose ends of the harness straps that were just threaded through the seat belt clips.

9.11. Route one of the head rest harness straps over the top PVC bar of the back rest and loop it one time around the bar as shown in the photo. Route the harness strap from the seat cushion through the plastic clip on the upper strap, then place the loose end in the figure-8 clip to secure it. Repeat this routing with the straps on the other side of the harness. Tighten both sets of straps evenly.

9.12. Secure the Jeep seat (205) with screws found in the Jeep box (207).

10.01. Cover the back of the switches (on the underside of the Jeep) with the black switch cover that you removed in Step 5.11.

10.02. Install the gray reinforcement pieces (204) using screws (207) as shown in the figure below.

10.03. Make sure to clarify which switch is the ON/OFF switch by using a permanent marker to write ON/OFF by the switch labeled HIGH SPEED/LOW SPEED, or cover the switch with a small piece of white duct tape and write on/off on that.

10.04. Find the plug that goes to the front of the Jeep (the one that isn’t the four-wire ribbon cable) and label it “UNPLUG TO DEACTIVATE MUSIC”.

10.05. Install the decorative driving lights (211) to the front of the Jeep. The toolbox (212) that attaches to the back of the Jeep is a great place to keep the charger (210), spare joystick handles (105), and mini auxiliary audio cable (213).

10.06. Optionally, add the "clip" around the joystick to prevent turning if that would be useful for the kid who will drive the car.

Inspect your work

Check your work with this inspection sheet

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'RE DONE!

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for improvement, or need help troubleshooting your joystick-controlled GoBabyGo Jeep, comment here on Instructables, or email us at gobabygocarswithjoysticks@gmail.com.

Below are some important tips for the recipients of the jeep. It may be helpful to print them and include them with the jeep. (printable version)

1. When you turn on the car, leave the joystick centered and wait for the car to make a small movement to indicate that it is ready to drive (about 5 seconds).

2. Turn off the car when it’s not in use; the battery will get run down even when the car is not driving.

3. Charge the batteries for 12 hours after every use - plug the charger into the port shown in the picture below.

4. Never charge the batteries for more than 24 hours.

5. Pick up or push the car by the original plastic body (not the PVC frame because it can break).

6. There is a labeled plug under the right front side of the car that can be disconnected to deactivate the music function if it gets too annoying.

7. The car is not waterproof, so please do not use it in the rain or leave it outside.

8. You can use this website (and a usb-mini cable) to change the speed of your car: gobabygocarswithjoysticks.github.io/programmer/#speed (This is a new feature, feedback would be appreciated.)

9. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for improvement, or need help troubleshooting your joystick-controlled GoBabyGo Car, please email gobabygocarswithjoysticks@gmail.com.