The Falcon features a unique mechanical design that is similar to the designs used by some cars in the real world. This smart hardware makes the Falcon's driving fast and smooth.

The drivetrain and steering in the Falcon are completely different from anything that we have discussed in this book thus far. In the previous chapters, we made robots that used tank-style driving, where two EV3 large motors powered the robot. In these systems, each large motor was dedicated to the wheels or tracks on one side of the robot. This system used direct drive, meaning that the drive motor was directly connected to the wheel/track without any gears or other mechanisms in between. The robot steered by varying the power split between the two motors.

The Falcon changes all of this. In fact, the only similarity that the Falcon's drivetrain shares with those previous robots is that it is powered by two EV3 large motors. In the Falcon, or any car-style drive system, power and steering are separate functions. This means that the drive motors are used to propel the robot forward while a separate motor steers the car's front wheels. This is different from tank-style steering, in which the drive motors handle both power and steering simultaneously. 

Because the driving and steering mechanisms in the Falcon are independent of one another, we will discuss them in separate sections. We will also examine the visual design and the sensors used.