Running the Driver Control Program - IQ Brain (2nd gen) – VEX Library

Using VEX IQ (1st generation)? See this article.

The Drive program is a default program built into the VEX IQ Robot Brain so it can be used with Smart Motors, Bumper Switches, and the VEX IQ Controller without programming. The Drive program maps the Controller’s joysticks and buttons to control specific Smart Ports on the Brain.

Learn about using the Driver Control program on the Brain.

Step 1: Check that the Smart Ports are properly wired.

VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Gen) showcasing its features and ports, designed for educational robotics, with connections for sensors and motors, highlighting its role in programming and controlling VEX IQ robots. Diagram of the VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Gen) showing its features and connections, designed to assist educators and students in understanding the components of the VEX IQ Robotics platform.

Smart Port Number	Device Type	Functionality
1	Smart Motor	Turns using Joystick A
2	Bumper Switch	Stops R Down button from turning Smart Motor in Port 4
3	Bumper Switch	Stops R Up button from turning Smart Motor in Port 4
4	Smart Motor	Turns using R buttons
5	Smart Motor	Turns using F buttons
6	Smart Motor	Turns using Joystick D
7	Smart Motor	Turns using Joystick A
8	Bumper Switch	Stops L Down button from turning Smart Motor in Port 10
9	Bumper Switch	Stops L Up button from turning Smart Motor in Port 10
10	Smart Motor	Turns using L buttons
11	Smart Motor	Turns using E buttons
12	Smart Motor	Turns using Joystick D

Check that Smart Ports 1-12 have the correct types of devices listed in the table above. Note that not ALL devices in all 12 ports have to be connected in order for this program to run. The above is an example list of which devices could be used in which ports.
Check that the Controller is wirelessly connected.

NOTE: To review how to connect devices to Smart Ports properly, see this article.

Step 2: Find and Run the Drive program

There is a program already built into the Brain that allows you to drive the BaseBot using the Controller without having to write any code. Follow the steps below to learn how to run the Driver Control program on the Brain.

Image of the VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Gen) showcasing its features and ports, designed for educational robotics, highlighting its role in programming and controlling VEX IQ robots for beginners and enthusiasts.

Press the checkmark to select the highlighted Drive program.

Diagram of the VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Gen) showing labeled components and connections, illustrating its role in the VEX IQ Robotics platform for educational purposes and beginner robotics enthusiasts.

Press the checkmark again to run the program.

Diagram of the VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Gen) showing its components and connections, designed for educational robotics, illustrating key features for programming and building robots.

As the program is running, the Brain's screen will look like this image.

To stop the program, select the x button.

Controller Configurations

There are four different configurations of the Driver Control program on the Brain: Left Arcade, Right Arcade, Split Arcade, and Tank drive. Follow the steps below to learn what each of the four configurations are and how to select them on the Brain.

Press the checkmark to select the highlighted Drive program.

Diagram of the VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Gen) showcasing its components and connections, illustrating its role in robotics education and programming for beginners.

Use the arrows to highlight the "Controls" option.

Diagram of the VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Generation) showcasing its features and connections, designed for educational robotics and programming with VEXcode IQ.

Press the checkmark to select the highlighted Controls option.

Toggle through the four different drive options by pressing the checkmark.

Each of the four driver control options allows you to control the BaseBot using the joysticks in different ways.

Configuration	Description	Joystick Controls
	Left Arcade Drive the BaseBot forward, reverse, left, and right all using the left joystick.
	Right Arcade Drive the BaseBot forward, reverse, left, and right all using the right joystick.
	Split Arcade Drive the BaseBot left and right using the left joystick, and forward and reverse using the right joystick.
	Tank Drive Drive the left motor of the BaseBot using the left joystick, and the right motor of the BaseBot using the right joystick.

Customizing Driver Control

Diagram of the VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Gen) showcasing its components and connections, illustrating key features for educational robotics and programming.

To further customize the Driver Control program you can use the ‘Controls’ window to:

Change the direction of the motor movement for each set of buttons by reversing the direction from ‘Forward’ to ‘Reverse’, as shown in these images.

Diagram of the VEX IQ Robot Brain (2nd Gen) showcasing its components and connections, illustrating key features for educational robotics and programming with VEXcode IQ.

Change which buttons are used to control which motors:

Change which port the motor is physically plugged into on the Brain
Look at the ‘Controls’ window to check that your motor is connected the desired buttons
A connected port will show a green icon (as port 5 shows in the image to the right), while a disconnected port will show a white icon (as ports 4 and 11 show in this image).