OpenPodcar
A scooter-based vehicle platform for autonomous-vehicle research, with hardware build instructions, Arduino speed control and ROS vehicle drivers.
Project documentation
Before you build
Five answers, each linked to its source
What does it cost?
Not documented
No cost in the reviewed sources.
Can I sell what I build?
Yes, with creditCommercial use OK, with credit
Hardware GPL-2.0 · Software GPL-2.0. Licensing source
What’s open?
6 of 6CAD: AvailableBOM: AvailablePCB: AvailableCode: AvailableSim: AvailableGuide: Available
All six available. All six files
What does it run on?
Is it maintained?
Dormant
Latest activity May 9, 2022 · main repo last commit May 9, 2022 · 0 commits in the last 52 weeks · 6 contributors Activity
01 / Under the shell
The specifications.
Hardware, build and software on one sheet. Every fact links to where we found it.
OpenPodcar is a physical vehicle platform for self-driving-car research, human-robot interaction studies and automated transportation of people and goods. Its listed vehicle components include a Pihsiang TE-889XLSN hard-canopy scooter, a Velodyne VLP-16 lidar, a linear actuator, a laptop and control electronics. The project provides hardware build instructions, Arduino speed-control software, ROS drivers for vehicle steering and speed, and a Gazebo 3D simulation.
Hardware
- Actuators
- Not documented Documentation
- Build
- Not documented · see the repository Documentation
- Lidar
- Velodyne VLP-16 README
- Linear actuator stroke
- 250mm README
Building it
Not documented.
02 / The files behind the robot
What’s open.
Six parts of the build, each checked separately. Gaps stay visible.
| Part | Status | What’s there | License | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAD | Available | The repository includes vehicle-related CAD and STL files. | Not documented | 3D_parts/ |
| Bill of materials | Available | Bill of materials spreadsheet. | Not documented | billOfMaterials.xlsx |
| Electronics | Available | KiCad board file and Gerber files. | Not documented | PCB/ |
| Code | Available | Arduino firmware source is supplied. | Not documented | ThrottleControlSerial.ino |
| Simulation model | Available | Gazebo 3D simulation and a podcar model file. | Not documented | model.sdf |
| Assembly guide | Available | README includes hardware setup instructions. | Not documented | README.md |
03 / Know before you build
Can you sell it?
Yes, with creditCommercial use OK, with credit
The whole repository, design files included, is GPL-2.0. Commercial use is allowed if you keep the maker’s copyright and license notices. Changes you distribute must be shared under the same license.
- Hardware
- GPL-2.0
- Software
- GPL-2.0
04 / The upstream project
Is it maintained?
DormantLatest activity May 9, 2022, 1635 days before the snapshot
The main repository’s last commit was May 9, 2022.
- Stars
- 50
- Forks
- 14
- Contributors
- 6
- Latest release
- None recorded
Snapshot captured Oct 30, 2026. Recorded figures, not live metrics. Active: activity within 90 days of the snapshot. Quiet: within a year. Dormant: longer.
05 / Parts & kits
A head start.
Maker-listed sellers only. No affiliate links or paid placement.
MAKER’S COST
Not documented
No cost in the reviewed sources.
Kit availability is not documented in our reviewed sources.
06 / Side by side
Compare with other mobile robots.
Other mobile robots in the directory, most recently active first. Same sources, same rules.
| Robot | Cost | Open files | Can I sell it? | Runs on | Maintained | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenPodcarThis robotOpenPodcar | Not documented | 6 of 6 | Yes, with creditHW GPL-2.0 · SW GPL-2.0 | ROS 1GazeboArduino | DormantMay 9, 2022 | 50 |
| LeKiwiSIGRobotics-UIUC | $4995V version | 4 of 6 | YesHW Apache-2.0 · SW Apache-2.0 | LeRobotRaspberry Pi | ActiveAug 5, 2026 | 1,497 |
| AlohaMiniLi Yiteng / Wu Zhiyong | About $600total, self-print | 5 of 6 | YesHW Apache-2.0 · SW Apache-2.0 | LeRobotRaspberry Pi | QuietJul 23, 2026 | 8 |
| AlohaScorpionk1000dai | Not documented | 2 of 6 | YesHW Apache-2.0 · SW Apache-2.0 | LeRobotRaspberry Pi | Not documented | — |
| This robotOpenPodcar | LeKiwi | AlohaMini |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Not documented | $499 | About $600 |
| Can I sell it? | ||
| Yes, with credit | Yes | Yes |
| Open files | ||
| 6 of 6 | 4 of 6 | 5 of 6 |
| Runs on | ||
| ROS 1, Gazebo, Arduino | LeRobot, Raspberry Pi | LeRobot, Raspberry Pi |
| Maintained | ||
| DormantMay 9, 2022 | ActiveAug 5, 2026 | QuietJul 23, 2026 |
Upkeep is measured against each robot’s own snapshot. Costs keep the maker’s scope, so check what each figure covers.
See them in the table07 / Follow the evidence
Open books.
Repository files are pinned to commit cd597fa. Websites and papers are listed with their review dates.
- 01README.md at cd597faReviewed Oct 30, 2026
- 02LICENSE at cd597faReviewed Oct 30, 2026