LEGO 42099 Technic Control+ 4x4 X-treme Off-Roader Truck Set

LEGO 42099 Technic Control+ 4x4 X-treme Off-Roader Truck, App Controlled Construction Set, Interactive Motors and Bluetooth Connectivity

Website	Price	Link
Smyths Toys	£199.99	Checkout Now
Amazon	£195.99	Checkout Now
The price of Amazon and Smyths Toys products keeps fluctuating, and that's why you must have a look by clicking on both the links once.

Screenshots

 

Features

• This sturdy app-controlled truck with high-rise independent suspension, large wheels and chunky tyres operates via the intuitive CONTROL+ app
• It is powered by an advanced Smart Hub with 2 XL and 1 L motors to see the 4x4 X-treme truck carry out complicated manoeuvres
• One-touch, multi-function control: connect to Smart Hub, ensuring super-precisionvia your smart device with 3 alternative control screens
• Smart Hubs feature Low Energy (BLE) connectivity, activation button, 6 axis sensor (3 gyro/3 accelerometer sensors) and 4 connectivity ports
• Drive forward, reverse, steer, accelerate, brake, traverse obstacles, play sound effects and get real-time feedback, such as a speed / tilt log

Reviews

1. Bluetooth at long last comes to Lego technic, and as noted this set needs to be controlled by a tablet or mobile phone after downloading the iOS or Android app. This works fine and as well as forward/backward/steering motion the apps lets you know the angle of the vehicle and speed using the built in gyroscopes and accelerometer's, with several courses to test your driving skills! All this technology is included within the new battery box or control+ hub, together with the two new large motor 3's and one new medium motor 2 (for steering) is the main cost in this relatively pricey toy (with less than 1000 pieces). As noted elsewhere these are all incompatible with the established technic power functions, so best to view as a half-way house between these and mind storms. The question is does Lego need a 3rd motor format? Possibly, as power functions are rather basic and mindstorms too expensive, mainly because of the programmable controller which is no longer needed with a tablet running an app or ad-hoc scratch.
   So power up/control+ (LPF2) appears to be a decision to allow the motor to be more interactive with feedback (hence the wider cable with extra coppers wires). In this example, the medium motor can relay back how many times it has rotated so can be set to automatically stop, doing away with the need for an expensive server motor when steering. Potentially, there is scope for future expansion for the larger driving motors to be more interactive, depending on what the vehicle encounters, when tired up with say the boost/Wedo2 (LPF2) colour and distance sensor part 88007, e.g. reverse and turn when encounter a dark wall, but currently this would need ad-hoc coding in scratch with boost/Wedo2 add-ons modules (examples available on line) until the official app is expanded and made more generic. Overall, as well as a fun car to drive the main control+ component appears to have lots of future potential with the new motors, which are not available in any other current set. Like all new technology, may wish to wait until the price falls and also to give a chance for all the creative people to share their ideas on-line and in books. Only criticism is why there are now so many different shaped and sized bluetooth hubs for power up/boost? 
2. Yep, expensive... Until you build it. I justified the purchase because I wanted the motors for other projects and this seemed economical with bonus lego. As a kit, it's (as usual) brilliant. Haven't road tested extensively but pleased so far. There have been negative views about performance but there is a great vid on YouTube that suggests various gear wheel changes to improve this.
   Planning on fitting a lighting loom as I think it deserves it.