This kit has so much functionality and it is very fun to play with. Setup took me a couple hours but it was really worth it at the end. This kit has really helped me to learn more about coding, the instructions are very simple but you just need to have patience when coding pi kits.

Everything here component wise seems to be of great quality. The solder work on the boards looks to be good. The acrylic plates that make up the frame look to be professionally made. All body pieces have protective paper/cling on both sides so no scratches from shipping. Each piece seems to be well cut, they also include a tape backing on every acrylic sheet I assume to prevent pieces from coming apart during shipping.

They provide a piece of paper with a link to their website where you can download a RAR archive that they have put together a bunch of documentation and a few images. The file is named: ADR012-V5.0_PiCar-B_MarsRover_SmartCarKit_for_RPi-20240425.zip

This includes collection includes PDF's for:
An intro to this car
How to charge the included rechargeable batteries
Packing list of all components/pieces
17 lesson "basic course" directory. 17 different lessons covering various aspects of this kit like making the buzzer on the main HAT buzz audibly on the car (you can make tunes also).
Assembly PDF's including a couple stand alone images - The instructions are extensive and easy to follow.
8 lesson "comprehensive course" directory. 8 different lessons going deeper into things you can do with this

Personally I don't see any negatives with this kit, because I am already pretty technical. Is this a kit for some parent who is not already technical to "jump in" with their kid(s)? Or even for themselves? Or for some 12 year old who does not already have knowledge? Not in my opinion. I would say if you already have experience with Raspberry Pi's, setting them up to be used for whatever that would be half the battle and this will likely be a blast. If you have never downloaded a copy of Raspbian and setup a Pi before utilizing command lines and etc, you will want to read everything at least one time before diving in. They DO cover all aspects of obtaining the proper version of Raspbian and how to flash the image etc.. Not impossible but without a decent handle on the foundation of what this car revolves around (Raspberry Pi and its OS) you will probably just get frustrated and give up. There are a ton of individual guides on different sensors and functions of this car including a web based controller. If you want to go beyond this you will have to take what you learn from all of this and produce your own python code to accomplish that.

Extras:
There is a github repository for this specific car that includes all the example code and more. adeept_picar-b2. This company has made other items and has github code for different things going as far back as 2013 so this company is not some fly by night place it looks like. If there are any bugs I am sure they will update the code, or even add additional examples from other contributions.

I will update the review after I have time to play around with this with my kid some. I just wanted to share what I have found so far for anyone who wanted to know more.

EDIT 1:
BATTERIES ARE INCLUDED! I just didn't see them in the box. You do get two batteries to run the car, so I'm editing this review and removing the section about no batteries.
REVIEW:
First, I want to be clear. This will be a multi part review. This is not a simple one-day project that will be quick to assemble and easy to review. THis is a complex project that will take a few sessions to build, and then code before I can evaluate it fully. So my plan is to write and publish this review in stages in order to get this posted in a timely manner.

The phases will be (1) Initial opening, manual evaluation, and video tutorials. (2) Initial Assembly. (3) Coding and programming. (4) Conclusions.

First, the box is packed to the rim with compopnents to build your rover. They are bagged in a thoughtful, logical way, making it easy to sort the parts. The only thing you will need to buy separately is a Pi. You might want to get a couple of extra battereis (2 are included). The correct battery is 18650. The car is set up to allow you to charge the batteries internally, so you don't need an external charger.

As for the Pi, the page says the car will run on any Pi Model 3-5, but when you look at the instructions, it says the Pi model 3B+ or Pi model 4 are preferred. Given that the Pi model 3B+ can be found for $44, while the Pi 5 goes for $71, you can save some dollars and get a longer run time on your batteries.

When you open the box, there's a sheet of paper that gives you the link to download the manuals, they are well written and very well organized. You can print them out if you'd like a physical copy, but I just copied the pdf files to my tablet.

The tutorial videos are all hosted on YouTube, but the website where you get the manuals also has a link to Adeept's page which links to all the videos. They aren't organized as well as the instruction manulas, but of the videos I've watched so far, the information is well presented, with an overview of the subject, step by step instructions to implement, and some basic troubleshooting.

I have my Pi5, and I'm going to start building tonight, following the instructions. For those familiar with the Pi, loading an OS should be very familiar, although in this case, Adeept recommends an older version of the OS to ensure compatibility. The install procedure is a bit different since we're not installing the latest and greatest, but the printed instructions prove to be a good guide for the process.

When I complete the build, I'll edit this and add the next section of the review. For now, I'm happy with the quality of the components, the instructions, and the video tutorials and I'm looking forward to the build.

This Adeept PiCar-B Mars Rover Smart Car Kit is phenomenal! Here's why it deserves 5 stars:

Comprehensive Features: It offers a wide array of capabilities including obstacle avoidance, line tracking, light tracing, camera integration, and speech recognition.

Easy Assembly: Setting up with my Raspberry Pi was straightforward, thanks to clear instructions and well-organized components.

Educational Value: Perfect for learning Python programming and robotics concepts, suitable for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Quality Build: Components are durable and well-made, ensuring reliable performance during operation.

Excellent Tutorials: The included PDF tutorials are comprehensive and user-friendly, facilitating an enjoyable and effective learning experience.

Overall Impression: I'm highly impressed with the Adeept PiCar-B Mars Rover Kit. It's an ideal choice for anyone keen on exploring robotics and programming with Raspberry Pi. Highly recommended!