An ESP32-Based Sound, Light, and Inertia Effects Controller for Your RC Vehicles

If you haven’t played with an RC car since you were a kid, then you have a lot of catching up to do. Modern RC cars range from super high-performance, tire-squealing monsters to elaborate reproductions of real vehicles. In the latter segment, hobbyists put a lot of effort into accurately portraying the look and sound of the kinds of cars and trucks you might actually see on the street. We’re not just talking about working headlights here, but so much more than that. TheDIYGuy999 recently released ESP32 code for you bring those effects to your RC vehicles.

You can see a lot of the available effects in the video, which are demonstrated on an RC semi-truck. Lights include the headlights, taillights, turn signals, brake lights, and running lights. Sound effects can be layered, so you can have the normal low-revving idle sound of a Detroit Diesel engine that will be overlaid with a whistling turbo as you start to rev it up. The revs are synced up with the RC car’s throttle position, so it will increase in volume and speed as you twist the throttle. The coolest feature, however, is the “inertia simulation.” A motorized shaker will cause the entire truck’s chassis to rock with the engine revs, and will even give it a little shudder when the engine is turned off.

All of those effects are coming from an ESP32 WiFi and Bluetooth-equipped board. Some functions require extra components, but everything can be built on a simple perf board. Sound is output through the DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converters) at a sampling rate of 22KHz. A number of different engine sounds are available in addition to the Detroit Diesel, as well as a bunch of different sound effects like horns and sirens. Up to four RC servo signal inputs can be used to provide the input for those effects, such as the current throttle position. You can, of course, also add your own sound effects if you want. If you’ve been looking for a way to add amazing effects to your RC vehicles, this is a great open source option.